Rivellino fulfils his destiny as he emulates both his sire and dam as a debut winner

Three decade friendship nets another smart winner for trainer Kris Lees and owner Edward Throsby as Rivellino scores an impressive debut win at Randwick.

Rivellino kicks off his career with a stylish debut win at Randwick. Picture: Getty Images

Trainer Kris Lees rewarded his longest stable client for nearly three decades of loyalty when promising two-year-old Rivellino won brilliantly on debut at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Rivellino showed considerable natural ability as he put his rivals to the sword in the Drinkwise Plate (1000m).

Emerging apprentice Benjamin Osmond, who rode Rivellino, wore the familiar colours of red, green hoops and cap of owner Edward Throsby.

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Lees revealed close friend Throsby has raced horses with him since he started training 30 years ago.

“Edward owned my very first winner – Cherokee Lass at Newcastle in 1996,” Lees said.

“He’s had horses with me ever since. He’s a great mate and it’s always a thrill to win for him.”

The Throsby family is one of NSW racing’s most successful breeders and Edward’s sister, Edwina, bred champion sprinter Chautauqua.

Rivellino ($3.60 favourite) created a good impression at his debut racing clear of The Magic Man ($5.50) to win by a widening margin of nearly two lengths with Commanding Belle ($5.50) two-and-a-quarter lengths away third.

Speedy Point Score led at a solid tempo before fading to finish seventh, more than 16 lengths behind Rivellino who stopped the clock at a smart 58.22s.

Lees has certainly come a long way since he prepared Cherokee Lass to win for Throsby all those years ago.

The champion trainer brought up the 2736th winner of his celebrated career with Rivellino and along the way has prepared 17 Group 1 winners.

A cracking debut for Rivellino! 👏

The @Leesracing stable has an impessive colt on their hands 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ef3x2hTaai

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 4, 2025

He has raced many outstanding horses including Samantha Miss, Lucia Valentina, County Tyrone, Le Romain, In Her Time, Clearly Innocent and Mugatoo.

Lees wasn’t at Randwick on Saturday, he was interstate at the Magic Millions but spoke to The Sunday Telegraph immediately after Rivellino’s runaway win.

“We’ve always liked the horse but after his first trial we just felt he would benefit with the blinkers,” Lees said.

“He wore them in his second trial which he won well and we were happy with him going into this race.

“I think he has a promising future and we will get him ready for the Inglis Millennium.”

Rivellino is by boom stallion Too Darn Hot, sire of three-time Group 1 winner Broadsiding, and is named after a key member of Brazil’s famous 1970 World Cup-winning football team.

The colt is the first foal to race out of the So You Think mare Intrinsic, who Lees trained to win three races and finish fourth in two Listed events, the Ramornie Handicap and Gai Waterhouse Classic.

Rivellino was destined to win on debut as his sire Too Darn Hot, raced by English composer Andrew Lloyd Weber, won his first start by seven lengths under Frankie Dettori.

His dam, Intrinsic, also won easily on debut for the Lees stable at Wyong eight years ago when ridden by Hugh Bowman.

A cracking debut for Rivellino! 👏

The @Leesracing stable has an impessive colt on their hands 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ef3x2hTaai

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 4, 2025

A $180,000 Inglis Classic Sale graduate, Rivellino is eligible for the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) at Royal Randwick on February 8.

Osmond said Rivellino relaxed nicely in behind the fast early race tempo.

“Barrier two definitely helped and he got the right run,” Osmond said.

“He was really ‘good’ today before the race because he can be a bit cheeky at home but he was quite professional in everything he did.

“They set-up a good speed and he seemed to do it quite comfortably.

“It was his first start and he’s still ironing out a few things but it seems like he has a bit of ability.”

In a rarity for Sydney racing, it was an all-provincial juvenile trifecta with The Magic Man and Commanding Belle finishing in the minor placings.

The Magic Man, the only horse in the field with previous race experience, is trained at Newcastle by Paul Perry and showed good early pace to share the lead with Point Score into the straight before holding on well for second.

Commanding Belle, trained at Kembla Grange by Robert and Luke Price, shaped promisingly on debut, working home well from back in the field to finish third.

Originally published as Rivellino fulfils his destiny as he emulates both his sire and dam as a debut winner