Derby day at Capannelle race track - Roma, May, 27; sun, good

Premio Carlo D’Alessio, Gr.2, 4 years old and up, metres 2.800, wide track

1st SUPER TASSA, ch.f., 5 y.o., by Lahib out Center Moriches, by Magical Wonder; Owner and Trainer: V. Valiani; Breeder: P. Banahan (IRE); Jockey: P. Agus; Kg 53,5,

2nd LONDON BANK, b.m., 5 y.o. by Bigstone out Bourbon Queen, by Ile de Bourbon; O.: Belforte Stable; B.: Snowdrop Stud (GB); T.: B. Grizzetti; J.: M. Demuro; Kg 55,

3rd KING’S BOY, ch. m., 4 y.o. by Platini out King’s Blade, by Sure Blade; O.: Stall Kings Brothers; B.: M. Ommer (GER); T.: A: Woehler; J.: A. Suborics; Kg 55,

4th PAIRUMANI STAR, ch.m., 6 y.o., by Caerleon out Dawn Star, by High Line; O.: Windflower Overseas Holdings; B.: Windflower Overseas (GB); T.: J. Dunlop; J.: T. Quinn; Kg 55,

also run: 5th Noel, 6th Boy Special, 7th Sopran Montanelli, 8th Solitary Dream.

Distances: neck, neck, 3 l, ½ l, 2 1/2 l, ½ l, 5 l .

Premio Tudini (ex Melton), Gr. 3, 3 years old and up, metres 1200, straight track

1st INDIAN MARY, b.f., 4 y.o., by Indian Ridge out Mary Guard, by Home Guard; O.: Briantea Stable; B.: Groane Farm; T.: M. Ciciarelli; J.: A. Parravani; Kg 57,

2nd FAY BREEZE, b.m., 5 y.o., by Fayruz out Loma Breeze, by Cure the Blues; O.: Mrs. G. Dettoni; B.: S. Butler(IRE); T.: D. Crisanti; J.: P. Agus; Kg 581/2,

3rd NIL, b.m., 8 y.o., by Danehill out Padula, by Artaius; O. and T.: Mr. S. Benedetti; B.: La Tesa Breed; J.: M. Planard; Kg 58 ½,

4th SU TIROLESU, b.m., 5 y.o., by Tirol out Glenross, by Warning; O.: Garavicchio Stable; B.: E. and M. Salman(IRE); T.: G.P. Ligas; J.: A. Corniani; kg 581/2,

also run: 5th Dream Chief(USA), 6th Onice Nero, 7th Distinctly Dancer, 8th Novità Eclatanti, 9th Moon of Java, 10th Pina Zucca, 11th King of Caffeina, 12th Cameron, 13th Blu Air Gun, 14th Jezebel, 15th Green Wind.

Distances: head, 11/2 l, 1 l, ½ l, 1 l, ¾ l, 1 l, 1 ½ l, head, 2 l, ¾ l, 3 ½ l, short head, 20 l.

Derby Italiano, Gr1, metres 2400, 3 y.o., Kg 58

1st MORSHDI, b.m., by Slip Anchor out Reem Albaraari, by Sadler’s Wells; O. and B.: Sheikh Ahmed al Maktoum; T.: M. Jarvis; J.: P. Robinson,

2nd FALBRAV, b.m., by Fairy King out Gift of the Night, by Sleepy; O.: Rencati Stable; B.: Francesca Farm; T.: L. D’Auria; J.: D. Vargiu,

3rd IBERUS, b.b.m., by Monsun out Iberica, by Gren Dancer; O. and B.: Gestuet Schlenderhan; T.: P. Schierger; J.: J. Quinn,

4th VINNIE REE, b.b.m., by Definite Article out Kayu, by Tap On Wood; O.: S. Sheridan and Others; B.: Mrs. V. Moran; T.: D. Weld; J.: T. Quinn,

also run: 5th Sopran Glaumix, 6th Limerick Boy, 7th Kanaris, 8th King’s County, 9th Janos Reska, 10th Plinsky, 11th Alburno, 12th Bacialé, 13th Another Devious, 14th Giovane Imperatore, 15th L’Erede, 16th Atlantis Prince, 17th Gide, 18th Su Montanesu, 19th Sharp Justice.

Distances: 2¼ l , 3 l, ½ l, 1½ l, 1¼ l, 1½ l, 1¼ l, 1 l, 1½ , ½ l, short head, 2 l, 3 l, 1¼ l, ¾ l, 3½ l, 1 ¼ l, 3 l.

Analysis.

A Sunday afternoon of high level racings that of May 27 at Capannelle, with 3 group races and moreover 2 listed races in schedule.

The stayers started on 14 furlongs and Super Tassa, trained at Pisa – San Rossore, already winner of the Prix Corrida, Gr.3, Saint Cloud, a year ago, made herself conspicuous after a back going and a notable final sprint in the outside.

Then was the time of sprinters, with another winner at high odds, Indian Mary (Super Tassa at 17/1, Indian Mary at 13/1), ahead by the starting, who succeeded in resisting the assaults of Fay Breeze as far as the finish. A beating arrival but a common starting field, not exciting, with a winner, good member of a female line developed from far over 25 years by Bedini brothers, owners and breeders (Mary Guard, the mother, New Mary, the grandmother), but going back to Marinka (GB), imported to Italy in 1966 by Dr. Urbano Aletti.

Finally the Derby, still slipped out of Italian stables, and for the 13th consecutive time. The winner, Morshdi, belongs in fact to a member of the royal family ruling in Dubai. He, even if esteemed by his trainer, is not particularly distinguished at the track (winner at 2 yr in maiden company at Haydock; 3rd, in front line, at the reappearance in the Newmarket Stakes, listed contended May, 4).

Morshdi descends from a cross of typical derby – horse typology (Slip Anchor and mother by Sadler’s Wells) inserted however in a preceding genealogic background of very sprinter type, as clearly testified by previous fathers, Habitat and Klairon, and especially by grandmother, champion 3 yr old filly in Europe in 1983 and champion 3 yr old sprinter in Europe in 1983, Habibti (9 victories – 3 group 1 races, 4 group 2 races, and 297.302 pounds, a notable amount in the eighties), but then disappointing as a mare (only 1 of her offspring is a winner, Desert Lily, winner of 1 race at 2).

Also Moshdi mother, Reem Albaraari, only placed twice at 2 yr, was not lucky with her first offspring (but has been seen to crib-bite and weave), died or very lightly raced, but now the turn of foot displayed by Morshdi at Capannelle in the last two furlongs, seems to authorize some notable solid hopes for this branch of female family N· 9c, very well represented in Australia and New Zealand (Octagonal, very considered sire in France; Danewin, excellent winner, shuttle sire in England and Australia, etc).

Roma, May, 28, 2001

(Leonello Falco)