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By Ray Hickson

Caffe Florian is one horse owners Ottavio and Wendy Galletta just had to have.

Trainer Richard Litt (Pic: Bradley Photos).

As the exciting filly returns looking to stretch her winning run to four in the Listed $200,000 All Occasion Cruises Fireball Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday her trainer Richard Litt revealed they acted on a recommendation from Arrowfield's Mitch Ralph and he’s pleased they did.

His other recommendations to them have turned out to be the likes of Group 1 winners Castelvecchio and Profondo so it’s no shock they decided not to go home without her.

They had to part with $400,000, and after she was passed in for that amount, as Arrowfield boss John Messara wasn’t prepared to budge on the price.

“She was highly recommended and when (Mitch) gives us a leg up on a horse Ottavio and Wendy take notice,’’ Litt said.

“She was a princess at the sales, and she was expensive. We left it to the death then Ottavio and Wendy bought her.

“Whatever she does now is a bonus, she’s a valuable racehorse. She’s a little ripper.

“It’s wonderful to have a nice filly, Wendy and Ottavio have had two very good colts. We don’t know how good she is, we have no idea, but everything she’s done she’s done quite well.”

The three-year-old is half-sister to stakes winners Anders and Ostraka and she became a Listed winner herself when she claimed the Gosford Guineas at the end of last year, a win which capped her rise from a maiden victory at Canterbury just a month earlier.

Litt has set out a program for Caffe Florian, $6 with TAB on Wednesday, that takes her to the Darby Munro Stakes on Golden Slipper Day then into the Group 2 $1m Arrowfield Sprint on Day 2 of The Star Championships.

“She had a short turnaround with a few weeks in the paddock,’’ Litt said.

“She’s come back and done very well, she’s had that one very quiet trial.

“She seems to be progressing in the right way, she’s come back a little bit different again. A little bit stronger, a little more content, a bit more relaxed.

“By all means she’s definitely not screwed down to 110 per cent fitness for this first run, our grand final is the Arrowfield Sprint.”

Jason Collett is unbeaten in three rides on Caffe Florian and while she’s drawn the outside barrier in the Fireball that’s not something Litt is putting any emphasis on.

He says it could ultimately prove to be an advantage.

“I’m very comfortable with the barrier, I’m happy for her to have a bit of room and get comfortable early,’’ he said.

“It gives Jason a few options, it’s a wonderful big track and a bit of juice in the ground she should appreciate.

“She worked beautifully on Tuesday and we’ve had 100mm and she glided through it nicely. She’s probably going to be in the right part of the track.

“I’m not too concerned about her first-up run, she’ll run her heart out.”

Caffe Florian wins the Gosford Guineas

Meanwhile, Litt said his Provincial-Midway qualifier winner Octa De Lago won’t race again before the $1 million Final and will instead barrier trial twice.

He’s hoping to add a few more with Jambalaya to run in the Gosford Qualifier on Saturday week, Il Passero will returns in the Wyong Qualifier on March 28 and Ahellbenda heads to the Wild Card three days later.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Randwick