Alessio must have an astute sense of timing.
The Paul Richards-trained mare is a full sister to Natuzzi, who shared Otago horse of the year honours with The Diamond One at an event at Wingatui on Saturday night.
But six hours earlier, the 4yr-old cleared maiden ranks at the same venue with a tough win over 1400m.
The daughter of Coats Choice joined Richards' stable after Natuzzi won the 2012 Southland Guineas, part-owner Bill Duell said.
''We lease it from the breeders, Sue and Stu McGiffert, at Timaru. They said `do you want to try her out?','' Duell said.
Duell, who races Alessio with his wife, Sandra, along with Richards and wife Leanne, is not expecting Alessio to be the next Natuzzi, but was thrilled to get the win.
''We're happy with that. She's been knocking but hasn't been quite able to get there.
''We think she'll go on top of the ground, so hopefully she'll kick on and get us another one or two.''
Richards thinks Alessio could handle an extra 200m but she may be better in her next campaign.
''She's not a Natuzzi, but she'll probably get over a wee bit of ground,'' Richards said.
''We'll try a mile anyway, or maybe a bit further. We'll just see how she progresses over the next month and a-half and she may even be better in her next preparation. She's just like Natuzzi was. He got a bit better as he got older.''
The race was not without sensation, as favourite Mal D'Amour was a late scratching after refusing to load into the barriers. With him went $41,190 of turnover which was refunded back to punters through win, place, quinella, trifecta and First4 bets.
Tudor Lily added another win for Richards when she bounced back from an early August failure at Riccarton to win Saturday's 1400 open handicap.
''She does need a bit of cut in the ground, which she got today,'' he said.
''You'd expect her to go through the grades but with the tracks getting firmer, there mightn't be too much more for her.''
Firmer tracks do not suit Tudor Lily, particularly after she ran into a post in a paddock as a 3yr-old.
''She did a bit of damage to her shoulder so she jars up quite badly on firm ground.''
There could be more wins in store for Gallant Boy, judging by the manner of his win in the 1200m maiden.
The 4yr-old still had a question mark hanging over his head about his talent on a heavy track, despite showing some aptitude at the jumpouts on rain-affected tracks.
''He showed a bit last time when he was in,'' Brian Anderton said.
''He's got a bit of a future, this fella.''
Anderton said the win would be a timely tonic for owner Pat Smith, of Christchurch, who has not been in the ''best of health''.
Smith regularly bred his mare Mega Babe to White Robe Lodge stallions before she died in 2013, and raced Yamanin Vital mare Tunza Vitality (2 wins) out of the Anderton' stable.
