Scandalo’s work is done for the season after making his mark in the top grade.

The Hastings five-year-old won five races in his last campaign, including two open handicaps, and was turned out at the top of his game after his last-start defeat of stakes performers Go Nicholas and Deals In Heels on his home track.

“He’s out in the paddock spelling, he did a wonderful job,” owner-trainer Patrick Campbell said.

“He’s quite high up in the ratings now for a horse who’s only run in two open races. It’s going to make it difficult in the spring weight-wise, but hopefully he can step up again.”

Scandalo has won seven races up to 1450m, but there is confidence the son of Shocking and a Savabeel mare can excel over more ground.

“His form held up going through the grades over the shorter distances and he showed he appreciated being kept on the fresh side,” Campbell said.

“In his last two runs he was a bit flat early, I know he’s genuine so that suggests to me he’s looking for a bit more ground. On pedigree, he should run 2000m.”

Stablemate Hunta Pence also collected two more wins this time in and finished third in the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) and fourth in trying conditions in the Gr.3 Rotorua Cup (2200m).

“I was thrilled with his last run. I very nearly withdrew him on the day, but took a calculated gamble which back-fired a bit,” Campbell said.

“He was up there and it was to be his last start so he went around and it was a gutsy effort on that track.”