Waikato Stud sire Pins completed a feature race double with two potential Group 1 winners in New Zealand on Saturday.  Antonio Lombardo won the first leg in the G3 Waikato Stud 2YO Classic at Pukekura and within minutes Icepin caused an upset in the G2 Avondale Guineas at Ellerslie.

Antonio Lombardo (2c Pins – Petit Verdot by Carnegie) completed a hat-trick of Waikato Stud victories in the 2YO Classic when he edged out Aussie raider Chateauneuf Dupape.  Pins sired 2010 winner Icepin while O’Reilly provided the 2009 winner in Seven Schillings.

Trained by Peter McKay, Antonio Lombardo landed the Listed Wellesley Stakes at Trentham earlier this season and he experienced a tough run at his previous start when runner-up in the Karaka Million.

“He’s bred to be a better three-year-old,” McKay said.   “Everything he’s doing at the moment is a bit of a bonus and I’m sure he’s going to go on with it.”

Antonio Lombardo is bred to get over longer trips next season being from a sister to G1 Victoria Derby winner Amalfi.  McKay bought him for $120,000 from the Trelawney Stud consignment at the 2010 NZB Karaka yearling sale.

Icepin recorded the perfect dress rehearsal for the New Zealand Derby on March 5 in the Avondale Guineas.  He settled in second spot and then surged clear to win impressively.

Icepin (3g Pins – Ice Maiden by O’Reilly) has been a genuine performer throughout his career with 4 wins from 14 appearances.  Besides last year’s 2YO Classic victory, he has also been G2 placed in the Great Northern Guineas and Hawke’s Bay Guineas.

“He’s run huge races all season and I’ve really been looking forward to stepping him up to a middle distance,” trainer Jason Bridgman said.  “I’ve been training him that way for the last two months and that’s taken some of the pace out of his mile races.”

Icepin was originally passed in during the 2009 Premier Sale at Karaka and was subsequently purchased for $40,000 by prominent owner Herbie Dyke.  His dam Ice Maiden won races in NZ and Australian and has also foaled the Australian winners Frozone (Reset) and Pins On Ice (Pins).

Pins (Snippets) has sired 341 individual winners at a 68% strike-rate.  The best of his 36 stakes winners have been Group 1 stars El Segundo (Cox Plate), Econsul (Caulfield Guineas) and Katie Lee (NZ 2000 Guineas & 1000 Guineas).