Pinarello could be the heir to New Zealand racing's throne but he isn't going to be given the chance to claim it this spring.
Although the exciting four-year-old starts a campaign at Rosehill in Sydney on Saturday worth nearly $2 million, his trainers say this spring is all about next autumn.
The top end of New Zealand thoroughbred racing was shorn of more outstanding horses last season than in almost any year in history, with 13 Group 1 performers retiring last term, including by far our best racehorse in Probabeel.
She raced in the same colours as Pinarello, who is one of the high-class four-year-olds now looking to fill the shoes of those who have gone, sitting alongside Imperatriz, La Crique, Dark Destroyer and possibly eventually Asterix as the new kids on the block, with established stars such as Levante and Coventina Bay.
Pinarello looked high class on a couple of occasions last season but stamped himself a real force when he won the Queensland Derby in May, beating among others Dark Destroyer, who won the Tarzino Trophy fresh two weeks ago.