South Australian Italian community will be called upon once more to vote for the All-Star Mile

The Italian community will once again be called in to add their considerable weight behind cult horse Regalo Di Gaetano as connections aim for another All-Star Mile berth.

Regalo Di Gaetano ridden by Zac Spain wins the Eclipse Stakes at Caulfield. Picture: Pat Scala–Racing Photos via Getty Images

Connections of South Aussie cult horse Regalo Di Gaetano will be once more calling on the Italian community to vote their horse into the All-Star Mile after he joined the early nominations for the $5m race.

The winner of his last three starts was nominated yesterday after recently winning the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes at Caulfield and joined stablemate Behemoth as a nominee from the Richard and Chantelle Jolly team.

That last start win for Regalo Di Gaetano came after successive Listed race wins in South Australia in the John Letts Cup and the Murray Bridge Cup.

Racing Victoria Genera Racing, Greg Carpenter, said: “It was great to see Regalo Di Gaetano harness the support of the Italian community in South Australia this year, and all his owners had a fantastic time throughout the All-Star Mile journey.

Regalo Di Gaetano was a Group winner on Zipping Classic Day at Caulfield and with three wins from his three last starts, we are excited to see him again throw his hat into the ring for the All-Star Mile.”

For the 2021 version of the All-Star Mile Regalo Di Gaetano was the seventh most popular horse voted into the race with 8168 votes.

Also nominated yesterday for the race was the Ben and JD Hayes-trained Mr Brightside, which was one of the rising stars of the spring.

Mr Brightside won six races in a row going from a Geelong maiden in July to winning the Listed Seymour Cup (run at Ballarat) and he closed out his preparation with a photo finish fourth, beaten less than a neck in the Group 1 Cantala behind Superstorm.

With the nominations of Regalo Di Gaetano, Behemoth and Mr Brightside there have now been eight horses nominated for the March 12 Mile with the others being early favourite I’m Thunderstruck, Superstorm, Flying Mascot, and New Zealanders Aegon and Elephant.

Voting on the All-Star Mile field opens on January 21, 2022 with the race run on March 19.

Originally published as South Australian Italian community will be called upon once more to vote for the All-Star Mile