Rivellino races into Inglis Millennium contention

Next month’s $2 million Inglis Millennium is on the radar for Rivellino after the two-year-old colt made an impressive start to his career with a victory at Randwick.

A $180,000 yearling purchase at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale last year, the Kris Lees-trained Rivellino stepped out for his debut in Saturday’s Drinkwise Plate (1000m) and turned in a professional display to race to a two-length victory.

“He travelled really nicely in the race and let down really well,” Lees’ stable representative Cameron Swan said.

“Kris might be looking at a race like the Inglis Millennium in about five weeks.

“Going off that run, he’d be a chance in something like that.”

The colt by Too Darn Hot had finished fourth in a trial on his home track at Newcastle a month ago before having blinkers applied when winning a trial at Rosehill on December 23.

Rivellino was sent out the $3.60 betting apps favourite in Saturday’s maiden for two-year-olds, and under apprentice Benjamin Osmond he sat just off the speed before moving up to hit the front inside the final 200m.

He put a couple of lengths on runner-up The Magic Man ($5.50) with Commanding Belle ($5.50) another 2-1/4-lengths away third.

“He’s a horse that just keeps getting better,” Swan said.

“He was very professional today and it was an easy watch.

“He was a bit out of his comfort zone in his first trial.

“It was a really quick trial and he didn’t know what he was doing. He came through that really well and improved into his next trial and he improved out of that into this.

“I don’t know where his ceiling is but he’s a really nice colt.”

Osmond said Rivellino behaved well in his first race day experience.

“He can be a bit cheeky at home but it was good that he came here and was actually quite professional in everything that he did,” the apprentice said.

“He got a good run, they set up a good speed and he seemed to do it quite comfortably.”