The last time Riodini won a race, the COVID-19 pandemic was yet to sweep the world, but the former New Zealander has finally got an Australian success on the board, taking out the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange.

The six-year-old had not saluted since December, 2019 when he claimed the Group 3 Bonecrusher Stakes at Ellerslie.

Despite his near three-year absence from the winner’s stall, co-trainer Adrian Bott said they continued to believe Riodini could repay the patience of his owners.

“We never lost faith in this horse,” Bott said.

“Obviously it is in the back of your mind that he hasn’t won for so long, but we felt the horse had plenty of excuses.

“He has really struggled on the heavy tracks so on the back of his last campaign, we decided to give him a really long spell, skip most of the (spring) carnival and target The Gong.”

Following two solid lead-up runs in unsuitable sprint races, Riodini ($6.50 fav) got his favoured firm conditions at Kembla and sprinted quickly when asked for an effort by Tim Clark to overhaul the leaders and spear clear.

Hope In Your Heart ($7.50) ran her usual honest race to get within a half-length of the winner at the finish with Old Flame ($7) the same margin away third.

Clark said he was confident Riodini was on track after he finished within 3-1/2 lengths of Private Eye in the Nature Strip Stakes (1300m) last start and was thrilled for the horse’s connections.

“Hope In Your Heart is a mare I’ve had a bit to do with, I know how good she is and how well she’s going and I just felt, inside the last 100, he really responded when he felt her coming,” Clark said.

“It’s a great result for this horse. He has been a long time out of the winner’s stall but good to see him back in form and getting a win because he has been very honest.”

Bott confirmed Riodini’s next target would be the Group 2 The Ingham Stakes (1600m), formerly know as the Villiers Stakes, run at Randwick on December 10.