Passed-in pair delivers double blow for Harvey during The Championships

Businessman Gerry Harvey, who breeds and owns his horses, issued a sharp note to those at the yearling auctions after a duo of his passed-in offerings secured successive feature triumphs at Randwick.

Only 35 minutes after homebred mare Chidiac took out the Country Championships Final (1400m), the colt Campione D’Italia charged home to win the Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m).

The colt Campione D’Italia is co-owned by Harvey and a notable group that encompasses Newgate Bloodstock of Henry Field, with Harvey noting the horse had missed reserve price previously.

"I passed it in, and Henry Field and I had a talk. I said, 'I want six hundred (thousand dollars) mate', and he said, 'I'll give you five hundred' and I said, 'get lost'. Then I thought I better do it," Harvey said.

"It's a very exciting day because we just had the country winner as well. We passed it in for $25,000. No-one wanted it.

So if you want to buy a horse from my horse studs, always buy the passed-in ones. Never buy in the ring. You'll do much better buying a passed-in one."

Sired by Snitzel, Campione D’Italia strengthened his breeding appeal with the elite Group 1 win, following a bold fourth in the Golden Slipper (1200m) surging from rearward.

Chris Waller, the trainer, credited the better barrier and natural maturation for the turnaround.

"Today was his fourth career start and each run has got a little bit better, a little bit better," Waller said.

"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."

The path ahead for Campione D’Italia could mirror others, with Waller pondering the Champagne Stakes (1600m), previously victorious for barnmate Militarize after the Sires’.

"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.

"We've got to nurse him a little bit, so we'll see how he comes through it."

In the finish, Campione D’Italia at $4.20 prevailed over Miss Chanel ($15) by three-quarters of a length, with Fireball ($18) matching that margin in third spot from the same stable.

Consideration is being given to Fireball for the Champagne Stakes based on recovery.

Punters looking at Sires' Produce Stakes runners can explore betting markets for the race on reliable online bookmakers.