Cavallieri is a thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racehorse only known for winning the 1991 New Zealand Derby

New Zealand Derby

The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horserace for three-year-old, run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day of Auckland Cup Week. From 2009, it was run for a purse of $2.2...

, when he defeated subsequent champion racehorse Veandercross

Veandercross

Veandercross was a New Zealand bred Thoroughbred gelding who won 14 stakes races, , and was chosen Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year for the 1992/93 season....

. He also ran third in the 1992 AJC Australian Derby behind Naturalism

Naturalism (horse)

Naturalism Naturalism Naturalism (foaled 1988 in New Zealand was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse whose wins included three Group One races. Out of the mare Zephyr Souba, he was sired by the Kentucky-born Palace Music who also sired the great United States Hall Racing of Fame inductee, Cigar...

 and Veandercross

Veandercross

Veandercross was a New Zealand bred Thoroughbred gelding who won 14 stakes races, , and was chosen Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year for the 1992/93 season....

.

Cavallieri was a one-paced stayer, and never tasted the same glory again, retiring with just three wins to his name after poor showings in several major staying races. He stood at stud in New Zealand briefly before being sold overseas.

He is a son of the relatively obscure stallion Gaius.