MARTINO LOOKING AFTER HIS LIGHTLY-RACED FILLY

SATURDAY: March 8, 2025: FABIO Martino is a strict believer in the adage that if you look after your horses, they will look after you.

That’s why the Hawkesbury trainer is in no hurry with yesterday’s Newcastle winner Tokyo Queen.

The lightly-raced filly, having only her second career start, took the Provincial Maiden Plate (1600m).

Ridden by Chad Lever, Tokyo Queen ($8) held out $1.95 favorite, Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle’s Literature Tycoon, and fellow Hawkesbury trainer, Brad Widdup’s Sun Beauty ($10).

Tokyo Queen, a three-year-old daughter of the well-performed Japanese-bred stallion Staphanos (by Deep Impact), was sent to Martino by her owners Anthony Licastro and Anthony Muollo.

“She was bred in New Zealand, and she went into training there,” Martino said today.

“They are good supporters of mine, and decided to send the filly to me.

“Tokyo Queen has done a good job at her first preparation, and I’m not going to ask her to do any more.

“She is going for a break, and I feel she will stay later on.

“Hopefully by looking after her now, she will continue to improve when she comes back into work.”

Italian expat Martino arrived in Australia more than 10 years ago, and has settled in well to his new digs at Hawkesbury.

“I’ve got 24 horses now, and didn’t know if that would happen when I first came here,” he said.

Tokyo Queen was Martino’s fourth winner of the season, and his career ninth – and the Hawkesbury training base’s 107th so far this season.

He won two races last year with Tokyo Star, another daughter of Staphanos, and two with Grande Bellezza, a three-year-old daughter of Brutal.

Grande Bellezza had a break after finishing fourth at Gilgandra in early January, and is now back in work.