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The price on the talented Chris Waller-trained Campione D’italia to win the upcoming Group 1 Champagne Stakes has firmed following the colt’s breakthrough Group 1 victory in Saturday’s Inglis Sires’ 2026 at Royal Randwick.

The opening elite level on a stacked The Championships Day 1 card in Sydney, the Group 1 $1 million Inglis Sires’ (1400m) was won by the progressive Snitzel colt Campione D’italia ($4.20) who handed Waller his second win in the event following his 2026 success with Militarize.

Record-breaking hoop James McDonald made it six straight weeks of Group 1 wins giving the eventual Inglis Sires’ winner a perfectly timed ride to secure the important feature race for two-year-olds.

Improving on his lead-up fourth in the Golden Slipper, Campione D’italia relished the rise in trip up to seven furlongs coming from fifth at the top of the straight to charge down the front runners and score an authoritative 0.76 length win.

“He’s a young horse. Today was his fourth career star and each run has got a little bit better, a little bit better,” Waller told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-win.

“His run in the Golden Slipper was amazing. He just got too far back. It was no-one’s fault, and the horse is just learning all the time.

“He got a lovely draw today, and that was the difference between having him in the firing line or going back like he was last start. It was good to see him knuckle down and get the job done.

“He’s got raw talent. His first start he did everything wrong, just because he thought, right let’s get the race over and done with. We had to harness that a little bit and bring him back. He’s a lovely colt.”

Winding up well inside the final 100m, Campione D’italia and J-Mac came with a barnstorming run to chase down the front-runner and hold off the fast-finishing Miss Chanel by three-quarters of a length.

“Not many as tough as her,” jockey Regan Bayliss said of the second placed filly.

“A gallant effort. She just copped a check at the start and was a bit further back. She had a lovely uninterrupted run into it and was strong through the line.”

Waller’s other runner, Fireball, meanwhile ran out of his skin as an $18 pop to round out the trifecta 1.5 lengths off his winning stablemate in third.

Campione D’italia now looks set to return to Randwick on April 18 going up further in distance for a shot at the Group 1 $1 million Champagne Stakes (1600m) on All Aged Stakes Day.

“Militarize, he won the Sires’ and then he won the Champagne, so I’ll have a talk to the team and see what they suggest,” Waller said.

The ATC Sires’ / Champagne Stakes double has been achieved 42 times to date, most recently by the aforementioned Militarize (2023).

Campione D’italia has now firmed notably in from $4.20 to $2.60 in futures 2026 Champagne Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au to be the next, and he’s got McDonald’s tick of approval to see out the mile.

“He’s a sensational horse, he’s been a work in progressive and Mr Harvey told me, make sure I keep my hands down, don’t want that horse throwing his head,” McDonald said.

“He’s beautifully bred and is a horse with a real future, I’m sure he’ll run the 1600m right out.

“Great to see him put it together today, we’ve always had a big opinion of him. Chris and the team have done such a good job to keep him improving with each start.”

2026 Champagne Stakes Odds

2026 Inglis Sires’ Results

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