Posted 17 April 2008
Updated 20 April 2008

Farrel, presently viewed as the top Italian three year-old, is set for a tilt at today’s Italian 2,000 Guineas, the G.3 Premio Parioli at Le Capannelle in Rome. It’s a well-contested race of thirteen and will probably throw up the first Italian Classic winner of the year.

Bruno Grizzetti’s inmate has a record which is just shy of impeccable. He was beaten only once from six starts last year, when third to Scintillo in the G.1 Gran Criterium in October. The Varese-based trainer has run the son of Fruits Of Love already twice this season and is two for two in the lead-up to the Classic.

He won a conditions race at the end of March and backed up just eleven days later running out a 2½ lengths winner over Senlis in the Listed Premio Gardone at San Siro.

Senlis, trained by Emilio Borromeo, is also set to start on Sunday but will need to find superior form to beat the favourite who was 3,5 kg worse off on their last encounter.

Peter Chapple-Hyam sends over Orientalist Art (Green Desert) from England. He ran just once as a two year-old and has the advantage of a pair of runs under his belt already this season. He broke his maiden at Lingfield in February and went down by a quarter-length twelve days ago over a mile at the same track.

A strong local threat will likely come from Vittorio Caruso’s Eldest (Indian Ridge). Just once a winner from seven starts in 2007, Eldest has competed in good company and was bridesmaid to the highest-rated Italian juveniles in two Listed races – Farrel and Gladiatorus. He goes into Sunday’s race on the back of an eyecatching win in the Listed Premio Roma at the end of last month.

Roberto Brogi, who successfully took the Premio Daumier - Premio Parioli route with with Le Vie Dei Colori in 2003, is following suit with Tenson (Intikhab). Due to a bad break and traffic problems Tenson finished only third in the Listed Daumier but he is a four-time winner and black-type placed.

Black Mambazo, if he stays, could pose a threat. Trained by Luigi Riccardi, the son of Statue Of Liberty has never raced further than six furlongs but is a Listed winner and G.3 placed.
RacingNewswire