Racing: Fiumicino shows there's still dash in the old legs

It's been a while between drinks for Fiumicino, seen here winning the BMW in 2009, but he regained the winning list on Saturday. Photo / Getty Images

Fiumicino smashed the A$3 million barrier and ended a losing streak of more than three years with his determined all-the-way win in the listed $100,000 2200m race at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

The 9-year-old stayer had not won since the 2009 The BMW but proved he had retained his zest for racing when he comfortably held his rivals at bay.

It was a training triumph for John Hawkes, who prepares Fiumicino in partnership with his sons Michael and Wayne. Hawkes bought the stayer as a yearling in New Zealand and has had the gelding in the stable for eight years.

"He still has the killer instinct, he's got that bit of the fighting tiger in him," Michael Hawkes told the Herald Sun.

"While he has that in him, we will keep racing him.

"We love having him in the stable because he is a great old horse to work with, a real gentleman, and full credit to him for getting to $3 million."

Fiumicino ($6.50), owned by Nick Moraitis, of Might And Power fame, took the lead soon after the start and defied his rivals to run them down, scoring by three-quarters of a length from King Utah ($16) with Moriarty ($2.70 favourite) a long-neck away third.

It was a popular win by the ageless gelding, by Cambridge Stud stallion Zabeel, who seems to have been around forever.

"We have tried to retire him at least twice," Hawkes said.

"But he hasn't had a lot of racing and, although he is probably not the horse he was, he is not racing at that elite level either.

"He's going really well at the moment so we will set him for the Christmas Cup and Summer Cup.

"He will be even better when he gets to 2400m."