He started his career in brilliant fashion, winning two of his first three starts at the provincials before winding up his initial campaign with a second in a Class Two at Doomben in January, 2018.
Two starts into his next campaign he was given his chance at Stakes level but disappointed to tail off last behind The Bostonian in the Listed Daybreak Lover at the Sunshine Coast five months later.
After a month’s break, O’Dea sensed Scallopini produced his best performances fresh by winning in restricted grade at Ipswich.
His consistency continued with a win and two placings from his next four starts before he broke through for the first time in the metropolitan area at Doomben in September, 2018.
He produced the best form of his career winning three of his next six starts in late 2019 before given another chance at Stakes level when second in the Listed Falvelon at Eagle Farm in December, 2019.
He then finished eighth to Madam Rouge in the 2020 Magic Millions Sprint before downing the Steve Tregea-trained Niccanova in his first Sunshine Coast Cup triumph.
He proved the Sunshine Coast win was no fluke with a first-up win in the Listed Hinkler at Doomben in May, 2020 before winding up his campaign with two more placings in the Listed Ascot Handicap and Listed Spear Chief that year.
Those performances at Listed level increased Scallopini’s rating and made him hard to place for his future races.
Scallopini failed to win in his subsequent eight starts in top grade.
He missed a place in the Group 3 George Moore, Listed Keith Noud and The Buffering before showing a glimpse of his best when sixth in last year’s Magic Millions Sprint won by Eleven Eleven.
However, the stable did offer excuses when he failed in the Group 2 Moreton Cup and Listed Glasshouse Handicap during last year’s winter carnival.
“He was always going to have only two runs in his last preparation during the summer on Magic Millions day and in the Sunshine Coast Cup,” Hoysted said.
“Stemming back from the Magic Millions 12 months ago we were setting him for a few races in the winter carnival.
“He pulled a shoe in the Moreton Cup then he went to the Glasshouse and led which isn’t his go.
“He‘s having a beak now and will come back to get ready for the winter.”
O’Dea and Hoysted have thrown down the challenge to their rivals since starting up their training partnership two years ago.
The pair currently are third on the Brisbane trainers’ premiership behind eight-times winner Tony Gollan and champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller.
O’Dea is the son of North Queensland trainer Graham O’Dea and has had a long-standing affiliation with horses.
After initially enrolling in a Bachelor of Economics, it was not long before he realised his career belonged in the racing industry.
After working for leading trainers Gai Waterhouse, Gillian Heinrich, Alan Bailey and Kevin Moses, O’Dea returned to north Queensland to take over from his retiring father.
With a growing stable he took a small team to Brisbane in 2009 and struck immediate success with Kiss Me Katy and Go Cart.
After winning multiple Stakes races, O’Dea decided to make a permanent move to Brisbane and hasn’t looked back since. He’s established himself as one of the state’s top trainers.
His success and ever-growing stable numbers saw him join in a training partnership with Hoysted who had been his assistant for four years.