All Too Hard has been the star attraction at Vinery’s open days this week but it was Testa Rossa who took centre-stage just up the New England Hwy during the two-day Scone carnival.

Testa Rossa sired Speediness to win the LR Scone Cup on Friday and he struck again with Fontelina in the LR Luskin Star Stakes on Saturday.

Fontelina (4g Testa Rossa – Decipher by Timber Country) cruised home under a perfect front-running ride by Peter Robl.  He will now be set for the G1 Stradbroke Hcp at Eagle Farm next month.

“He ran home the last 600m in 33.5 seconds so they had no hope of catching him,” trainer Anthony Cummings said.  “He will go into the Stradbroke without another start.  He’s been running well behind Pierro at weight-for-age and he brought that form here.”

Fontelina first came to attention with a brilliant victory in the LR Doomben Slipper in May 2011.  He then added a Group 2 in the Yellowglen Stakes during last year’s Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington.

Bred by Gerry Harvey, Fontelina was a $135,000 graduate of the 2010 Magic Millions HIT Sale.  He has an unnamed 2yo brother on the books with Cummings and their dam Decipher has a yearling colt by Tavistock.

Decipher foaled a filly by Makfi last November.  The 2010 English 2000 Guineas winner shuttles to Harvey’s NZ based Westbury Stud.

Fontelina’s second dam Electrique (Zephyr Zip) was a Group 1 winner of the AJC Flight Stakes at Randwick and the STC Ansett Stakes at Rosehill in 1991-92.

Testa Rossa is gearing up for his 8th book at Vinery this year where he will stand for a $27,500 (inc gst) service fee.

Hoofnote:  Vinery champion More Than Ready muscled in for a share of the spotlight overnight on the Preakness Stakes program in the USA.

His top-class mare Pianist won the G3 Gallorette Hcp (1700m) by three lengths at Pimlico.  It was her second black-type victory following the LR Given Stakes at Belmont last September.

– Karl Patterson