Seven Year Old Mio Dio Earns Maiden Stakes Win

The shock failure of former Horse Of the Year Lankan Rupee in Saturday's $120,000 Group III Spring Stakes at Morphettville took the gloss of the rejuvenated Mio Dio who earned his first stakes win at the ripe old age of seven.

The son of God's Own has had a succession of trainers but seems to have a new lease of life under Will Clarken for whom he has won five of 11 starts.

Making his seasonal debut after closing out last season with a second to Cannyescent at Flemington, Mio Dio was settled midfield by Todd Pannell before overpowering his rivals to defeat Lord Aspen (Good Journey) by one and a half lengths with Casino Wizard (Any Given Saturday) three-quarter of a length back in third.

After leading early Lankan Rupee weakened to finish last, beaten almost 15 lengths.

A post-race scope revealed EIPH (exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage).

"We'll treat him and get him home and get him right," Price said.

"We'll put him on green grass for a week or so and give him an antibiotic and bronchio-dilators to clean his lungs and then we'll discuss what to do with him from there.

"It's not uncommon and you read it often in the stewards' report and I think that was the reason for his failure and we'll get him right before we discuss any options going forward."

Clarken said Mio Dio deserved a big race win.

"He's just a really honest horse,'' Clarken told The Adelaide Advertiser.

"He was flying when he went out for a couple of weeks and he's trained on really well.

 "He likes racing and that really helps.''

"He's a greedy horse. The more you get into him, he just loves it, he thrives on that sort of stuff.''

 Bred by Basinghall Farm, Mio Dio advances his overall record to 11 wins, 5 seconds and 7 thirds from 55 starts with earnings of $378,615.

He is the first and only live foal left by the Scenic mate Hageabi who was exported to Indonesia in 2014.

Hageabi finished closer to last than first in most of her six starts. She is a three-quarter sister to the Group I Manikato Stakes winner Piavonic the dam of the Group II VRC Sires' Produce Stakes winner and Group I Golden Slipper runner-up Von Costa De Hero.

Hageabi is also a half-sister to dual Group III winner Emlozza (Encosta de Lago) and to Doppio (Umatilla) a multiple Listed winner in Macau.

Mio Dio becomes the eighth stakes winner for Group I Caulfield Guineas winner God's Own who covered just seven mares last spring,at a fee of $3,300  a far cry from the halcyon days when he served 2014 mares in 2007 at a fee of $33,000.