by Michael Burns

Uruguayan 2006 champion older horse Potri Flash overhauled local favorite El Charleta in the final strides to score an upset victory by a neck on Tuesday at Palermo in the $151,960 Gran Premio Internacional Republica Argentina (Arg-G1), the most important race of the Argentine calendar for three-year-olds and older on the dirt.

The race anchored four Group 1 stakes on a marathon 19-race holiday card at the Buenos Aires track.

Ridden by Carlos Mendez, Potri Flash completed the 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) event in 2:00.01 on a muddy track to earn his most lucrative career victory for owner-breeder Haras Gavroche.

Potri Flash, a Southern Hemisphere four-year-old Potridoon colt, finished second to Invasor (Arg) in all three legs of the 2005 Uruguayan Triple Crown. He entered off a runner-up effort to El Charleta in the Gran Premio de Honor (Arg-G1) on April 7 at Palermo.

Trained by Cleber Sanguinetti, Potri Flash recorded his sixth career victory in 19 starts. Potri Flash is out of the Babor mare Niagara Falls.

Alessandro Miserochi, breeder of United States Horse of the year and Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) victor Invasor (Arg), was presented with a silver plate during the trophy presentations.

Earlier on the card, Ilusor entered his name among Argentina's top ranked two-year-old colts on the dirt by drawing clear late for a four-length victory in the Gran Premio Montevideo (Arg-G1).

By Parade Marshal, Ilusor completed the 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:29.20. Group 1 winner Cuestion de Honor finished a disappointing seventh in the nine-horse field.

Argentine sensation Husson, scored a 1 1/2-length victory over ten rivals in the one-mile Gran Premio De las Americas-OSAF (Arg-G1) to keep his perfect record intact in five career starts.

The three-year-old Hussonet colt, who defeated United Arab Emirates Derby (UAE-G2) winner Asiatic Boy last May before a knee injury forced him to the sidelines, notched his third win at the highest level for owner Stud Cal Ramon.

Husson covered the one mile on the dirt in 1:33.97.

Storm Marcopolo, rolled home to a comfortable 1 1/2-length victory under Brazilian ace Jorge Ricardo in the five-furlong Gran Premio Ciudad de Buenos Aires (Arg-G1)..

The Bernstein colt, who tallied his sixth straight victory and earned his first win at the highest level for owner Stud Rubio B, covered the five furlongs in :54.15. Bred by Haras La Biznaga, Storm Marcopolo is out of the Mountdrago mare Marplatense Soy.

Michael Burns is a South America-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent