MARTINO'S BONG BONG HAT-TRICK GOAL

SUNDAY: August 17, 2025: FABIO Martino kicked off the new season with his first winner yesterday – and now has an important goal with Grande Bellezza.

The Hawkesbury trainer has set his sights on a Bong Bong hat-trick.

“I’ve won races there the last two years, and want to take this mare back there in November for the annual meeting,” Martino said today in the wake of a tiring but successful trip to the bush.

Martino took two horses to Gilgandra, and was successful with Grande Bellezza ($2.60 favorite) in the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1100m).

Ridden by Kembla Grange apprentice Ryan Bradley, whose 3kg claim lessened the mare’s weight to 58g, the four-year-old daughter of Doncaster Mile winner Brutal led throughout and was never seriously threatened.

She defeated Sunshine Sassy ($4.20) and Cammi ($11) to take her record to three wins from six starts.

“Ryan has been coming up to Hawkesbury to ride jumpouts when I ask him, and I’ve been trying to give him some support,” Martino said.

“It was satisfying to be able to give him a winning ride.”

Martino won with Eliseo – his first ever winner – at Bong Bong in 2023, and with Grande Bellezza there last year.

Ridden by Wayne Wheatley, she shed her maiden status over 1000m last November, and then won again at Dubbo in Benchmark 50 company over 1200m the following month.

Martino left his Hawkesbury base after early morning trackwork yesterday and set off on the five-hour trip to Gilgandra.

“It was a long day but at least the return trip home was made easier having won a race there,” Martino said.

Grande Bellezza has been an excellent performer for Martino and her owners.

“One of her owners bought her for only $3500 as a weanling and looked after her until she came to me,” Martino said.

Grande Bellezza raced in a tongue tie for the first time yesterday, and her trainer will look for another suitable race for her in the coming weeks en route to the Bong Bong assignment later in the year.