By MIKE DILLON
Paolino may not be going as far as Capri, but she's going a lot further than the maiden class she left at Ellerslie yesterday.
The Jillings/Yuill filly, who carries the name of a restaurant in Capri, is ready to live up to the breeding she can claim from her dam, class racemare Riverina Charm.
Owners Peter and Philip Vela, who raced Riverina Charm, named the filly after the restaurant and might be on a free meal there next time if Paolino makes the progess Colin Jillings and rider Lance O'Sullivan think she can.
"She gave me a very good feel," said O'Sullivan after Paolino raced away to win by nearly four lengths after sitting outside the leader Maison Rouge.
O'Sullivan had to ride the filly fairly hard to get her outside the leader in the first 300m of the first race on the card, the Lion Red 1200.
"That's my fault," said Jillings, "because I've been trying to take the speed out of her - there are not many 1200m stakes races and I've been trying to get her to relax.
"I'd like to try and get some black type on her record in the autumn."
If you thought O'Sullivan made his dash at the leader a shade early, it was deliberate.
"They walked the first half of the race and that leader was getting it too easy in front.
"I thought if I didn't take it on it might rail the bend and pinch a break," said O'Sullivan.
Jillings rates Paolino unlucky not to have won both her earlier races.
"She was stiff her first start then last time she was a good thing beaten.
"I had to back off her then when she got a bad cold."
Paolino is a half sister by Housebuster to the Velas smart mare Sarwatch.
O'Sullivan said Paolino has a lot to learn
"She's still pretty dumb to ride."
The Jillings/Yuill stable also won yesterday with Encort in the 1400m Ra Ora-Haunui Partnership.
Racing: Jillings sees bigger things ahead for charming filly
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