by Myra Lewyn

Scuderia Incolinx’s Viola Ici seized command in early stretch and led a procession of Italian-based runners to a sweep of the top three spots in the $440,956 Premio Roma At The Races (Ity-G1) on Sunday at Capannelle Racecourse in Rome.

The four-year-old Daylami (Ire) colt entered as a multiple group stakes winner with victories in France and Italy this season for trainer Vittorio Caruso. He emerged from the 2,000-meter (9.94-furong) race with his first win at the top level following a third-place finish to Schiaparelli in the Gran Premio del Jockey Club e Copa d’Oro (Ity-G1) on October 18 at San Siro Racecourse.

Voila Ici closely tracked pacesetter Estejo, winner of last year’s edition of the Premio Roma, through the early stages. Responding to jockey Mirco Demuro’s cue, he took control early in the straight and then held back late-running multiple stakes winner Turati to win by a half-length in 2:10.40 on turf rated as heavy.

Sant’antonio, runner-up in the Gran Premio del Jockey Club, finished strongly to take third, another two lengths back.

Estejo flattened out and faded to finish last in the ten-horse field. Godolphin Racing’s international campaigner Balius, a Group 2 winner who recently won a stakes in Turkey, was prominent early, but finished fifth, a head behind English Group 2 winner City Leader.

Bred in Ireland, Voila Ici won the Prix Maurice de Nieuil (Fr-G2) in July at Longchamp and followed with a triumph in the Premio Federico Tesio (Ity-G3) in September at San Siro in his start prior to the Premio de Jockey Club. A winner of nine of 15 career starts, he was produced by stakes winner Far Hope, by Barathea (Ire).

Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor