Premio Roma,
Gr.1, 3 y.o. and up, metres 2.000, wide track, Roma, Capannelle,
Sunday November 19, rain, sloppy (muddy)

1. ELLE DANZIG, f.b. 5 y.o. by Roi Danzig out Elegie, by Taotepec; Owner and Breeder : Gestut Wittekindshof; Trainer: A. Shuetz; Jockey: A. Starke,
2. BORDER ARROW, m.ch. 5 y.o. by Selkirk out Nibbs Point by Sure Blade; O.: R. Michaelson and W. Said, B.: Lord Halifax, T.: I. Balding, J. : J. Fortune,
3. POSEIDON, m.b. 6 y.o. by Polar Falcon out Nastassia, by Noble Decree; O. : All. La Nuova Sbarra, B. : W. Gibson Fleming, T. : L. Brogi, J.: M. Pasquale,
4. DOOWALEY, m.b. 4 y.o. by Sadler’s Wells out Dwell by Habitat; O. : Sc. Telemarket, B. : A. Grim and B.L. Jamison, T. : R. Brogi, J. : L. Dettori

Also run: Dane Friendly, Crisos il Monaco, Sumitas.

Distances: 5 lengths, half a length, 2 lengths and a half. Time: 2.09.30

ANALYSIS.

The muddy straight of Capannelle track became last Sunday a perfect superhighway for the leading lady Elle Danzig, champion acclaimed for having hooked Triptych at the 3rd place (behind the super Dahlia and Allez France) in the female pattern winners position.

Light, aerial, showing his cheap, not very showy and not very muscular model (and this caused, very probably, a moderate valuation at the yearling sale of Baden Baden, 30.000 G.M., lower than reserve price), Elle Danzig came out very easily at half the straight, cutting off at the beginning every attempt of vengeance of the English guest Border Arrow, showed in fit conditions by his trainer but with some kilos close up, further confirmation of the permanent training difficulties, already reported (and non only for this year) about this Selkirk son.

In the 3rd place, not far from Border Arrow, but without having ever menaced him, was recorded the regular Poseidon, author on the pleasant (to him) muddy ground of the best performance of his career, while in the 4th place, even farther and already got out of pawn in the finish after having endeavoured a relatively strong attempt at 400 metres from the finish, arrived Doowaley, who don’t succeed in confirming in the races the expectations of his patrons, encouraged by his training work and by his pedigree.

The other German colour-bearer, Sumitas, wholly surrendered, and yet far away from the finish; he was indeed the finer and the more prepared in the field in walking ring; then he led at a brisk pace as far as the straight entrance, but then he immediately surrendered at the first assault of Elle Danzig.

This German champion maybe will run in the Hong Kong Cup, but only if in perfect working order, according to trainer words, before the stud start, laden with honours but also with Italian Lire, having won also the 1999 running of Premio Roma.

Elle Danzig was born by Roi Danzig, of whom is certainly the best product up to now bred, winner and placed in USA at Gr.2 level races, imported as stallion to Ireland in 1990 because of his excellent pedigree, from Rathbarry Stud, that fixed for him the stud fee of 7.000 I.Gns.

Then he was moved to Italy, since 1996, because he was supposed to pass on too much stamina and not the demanded amount of precocity, according to Irish standard, and also because many of his best sons ran in Italy (as Castel Rundegg, Sugarland Express, Soleil Trompeur, pattern-winners, and also Casque Blue and Piccolo Diavolo, the latter two ones only placed in pattern class).

Roi Danzig, accomplice the daughter Elle Danzig, was rented for the breeding season 1999 to the Union Gestut and he covered near Cologne, coming back to Italy for the 2000 season, where he was placed at the Allevamento “Il Grifone” (The Griffin Stud) near Turin, with the breeding fee of 12 millions of Italian Lire (payable 1/10); stud where he will remain also for the 2001 season, but the breeding fee has not still announced.

The female line of Elle Danzig (fem. 19) was moved from Ireland to Germany about forty years ago, with the exportation of Egina, great-grandmother of Elle Danzig. She was completely anonymous at the track but then, at stud, she bred 8 winners, a pair of pattern level, the best being Elviro, German Derby winner.

Elektra, the grand-mother of Elle Danzig, won four races (the most important being the Bavaria Rennen, Munchen) and then at stud bred Ebano, Preis von Europa, Gr.1 winner at Koln, sire, and Elektraut, 4th in the Aral-Pokal, Gr.1, sire too.

Elegie, Elle Danzig mother, daughter of the second level stayer and sire died young, Taotepec, won 3 races, always in Germany, and then at stud, she bred 9 winners, none of them comparable with the Roi Danzig daughter.

This running of Premio Roma, that marks the closing of high level racing season in Italy, confirmed that the horse bred and/or trained in Italy are competitors at Gr.3 and Gr.2 races level, while at Gr.1 level the gap is still considerable and not easy to pass, also because of the unsolved problems linked with the race scheduling in Italy, especially with the delicate problem of the arrangement and revenue of Italian horses reserved races.

Roma, November 21, 2000

(Leonello Falco)