NEWS
Schiaparelli wins third straight Group 1 in Gran Premio del Jockey Club
Posted: Sunday, October 14, 2007 6:05 PM
by Franco Raimondi
German-based Schiaparelli added another Group 1 victory to his record when he scored an easy 1 ¾-length win on Sunday in the $336,869 Gran Premio del Jockey Club (Ity-G1) at San Siro racecourse in Milan.
The big chestnut Monsun colt, who won the 2006 BMW Deutsches Derby (Ger-G1) (German Derby), took the lead under Andrasch Starke after 400 meters and set an honest but not fast pace, followed by Bussoni, Gimmy, and Champs Elysees.
Starke rallied his mount with 800 meters to run and Schiaparelli responded well, winning the 2,400-meter (11.93-furlong) turf race in 2:28.50.
Godolphin Racing’s Laverock, who was bidding for a first Jockey Club double since Norman in 1953-‘54, came outside with a lot of courage, but weakened in the final 200 meters and finished 1 ¼ lengths behind runner-up Champs Elysees. Bussoni, winner of the Bosphorus Cup International on September 9 in Turkey, finished fourth in the eight-horse field.
“Schiaparelli is an improving horse,” said winning trainer Peter Schiergen. “He won his fourth race in a row and completed a Group 1 hat trick here in his first race outside Germany. He has room for another improvement, but this could be his last run for the season. The Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) [in December at Sha Tin] is a possible target but the final word is with his owner.”
French-based Champs Elysees, a full brother several Group 1 winners, including champions Banks Hill (GB) and Intercontinental (GB), ran a brilliant race but came up short for a Group 1 win of his own.
“The pace was a bit softer and the others kicked away, but he finished fast and he deserves to win his Group 1” said jockey Stephane Pasquier.
Stall Blankenese’s Schiaparelli, who entered off a victory in the Preis von Europa (Ger-G1) on September 23 at Koln after scoring in the category at Dusseldorf on July 22, improved to four wins in six starts this season.
In the $336,869 Gran Criterium (Ity-G1) for two-year-olds, Italy had two main hopes in four-time stakes winner Gladiatorus and Farrel, but the home team’s losing streak, which began in 1996, could not be broken.
Gladiatorus and Farrel finished second and third, respectively, behind White Beach Farm’s British-based Scintillo.
Jockey Ryan Moore rode a beautiful race and Scintillo outran Gladiatorus with 200 meters to go, scoring by a half-length while covering the 1,600-meter (7.95-furlong) turf contest in 1.38.20.
Scintillo, third in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Eng-G2) on September 29, captured his first stakes.
“His trainer, Richard Hannon, deserves all credit,” Moore said. “He found the right race for the right horse. Scintillo scored easily than the margin said. He just [slowed down] a little bit when in front.
Frankie Dettori, aboard Gladiatorus, blamed himself for the Silic (Fr) colt’s defeat.
“I rode a bad race,” he said. “I was in front, waiting for a challenge and Scintillo knocked down my horse on a turn of foot. Gladiatorus fought back but was too late. This is a race I’ve to win.”
Gladiatorus, who was bred in Kentucky by Giampaolo Raponi, is by far the best Italian trained two-year-old.
Scintillo, who is out of the Thatching mare Danseuse du Soir, won for the second time in eight starts.
Franco Raimondi is a Europe-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
