Alwyn Park resident Maschino has ticked every box in 2025 with Platinum Horse of the Year Jokers Grin and WA 3YO of the Year Machine Gun Gracie and for good measure he won the TBA Stallion Leaderboard competition at Ascot on Saturday.
Maschino sired He’s A Machino to win Race 4 on TBWA Platinum Day and he doubled up with Charino in Race 10 to make it a tie on 8 points with Gingerbread Man and A Lot (USA). The $10,000 prize pool was split three ways and Alwyn Park claimed the trophy on countback.
Notwithstanding a missing ‘s’, Wally Daly’s homebred colt He’s A Machino (Photo / Western Racepix) is already being spoken about as a G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) candidate despite Maschino not being known as a sire of black-type juveniles.
He’s A Machino (2c Maschino – There’snonesosassy by Due Sasso) kept front-runner Sovereign Rock (Awesome Rock) in his sights and then assumed control with a self-assurance that belied the fact he was a newcomer.
Daly and trainers Sean & Jake Casey have kept him on ice to dodge his Ascot 2yo winning stablemates Beatty (Gingerbread Man) in the Crystal Slipper Stakes and Red Lark (Awesome Rock) in the Magic Millions Plate.
“He ambled across to sit outside the leader and then knuckled down to the task for Willie (Pike),” Jake Casey said. “He’s still learning and we didn’t think he would be racing pre-Xmas. It’s been six weeks since he won a Belmont trial so we will tip him out now and hopefully he can measure up in the Karrakatta.”
His dam There’snonesosassy has now thrown 7 winners from 7 foals and second-dam Achtung Baby (Sarab) was bred Ellie Giles to win the LR Burgess Queen Stakes in 2001 and was runner-up in that season’s G2 WA Oaks.
Charino (4g Maschino – Chabelle by High Chaparral) ranged up to the leaders in the three-wide line turning for home and he wasn’t for catching in the lucky last to score by over a length from the Snippetson geldings Prospector’s Pick and Snippy Sean.
It was a popular win for Harvey owners Charlie and Nola Marino and it was his first since the Max Simmonds Stakes (1000m) at Ascot in October 2024. He’s been somewhat frustrating for connections just like his stablemate Seven Candles (Playing God) who won at Ascot a fortnight ago.
“We’ve persevered because they’re nice horses,” trainer Brett Pope revealed. “They’ve taken time to mature and they’ve both gone shin-sire four times. Hopefully, in another twelve months they will both be running in good races.”
Charino was bred by Michael Morton and is the third winner from three to race from Chabelle following Rain God (Wandjina) and Bella Eve (My Admiration). Chabelle is back in foal to Maschino and Bellbridge Park (as agent) has entered her Splintex yearling (Lot 323) for the Perth Magic Millions on February 20.
