Pascia’Lest and Timone EK win Italian Classics

Sunday’s Prix Costa Azzura (purse €132,000, 1600 meters autostart) in Torino, Italy went to the Pietro Gubellini driven, Fabrice Souloy trained Pascia’Lest (7m Varenne-Superiors Sun-Diamond Way) clocked in 1.11.3kr, a length winner over Princess Grif (7f Varenne-Fauve Grif-Viking Kronos) and reinsman Bjorn Goop. Pascia’Lest equaled the race record established in 2014 by Napoleon Bar.

The winner now shows earnings in excess of €830,000. The remaining of the top five in the classy field at Torino included third finishing Peace Of Mind (7f Uronometro-Erica d’Alfa-Sugarcane Hanover) handled by Andrea Guzzinati, Zorro Photo (10m SJ’s Photo-Zarrasatha-Lindy’s Crown) fourth with G.P. Minnucci up, and fifth placed Radiofreccia FI (6f Ganymede-Castilia-Lemon Dra) for Enrico Bellei

Also at Torino on Sunday was the €77,000 Prix Citta’ di Torino over 2060 meters autostart. The easy 1.13.6kr clocked, three-length winner on the `1000 meter track was Timone EK (4m Mr. Vic-Gemona-Lemon Dra-Snagadalic) for Bjorn Goop . This one now shows earnings in excess of €315,000. TGroja d’Asolo (4f Varenne-Guigliana-Lemon Dra-Nice Star) was second for Rene’ Legati with third to Temon Your SM (4m Love You-Emon Sante Fe’SM-Lemon Dra-Keystone Santa Fe) with Marco Smorgon aboard.

The prior day at Campanelle (Rome) three year-olds contested the Prix Kramer Boy (purse €9,350, 1640 meters autostart) over the 1000 meter track and the easy four-length 1.14kr timed winner was Unicorno SLM (3m Love You-CL Brightness-King Conch-Armbro Brilliance, the latter a Dream Of Glory-Armbro Regina daughter). Enrico Bellei teamed this winner for trainer Holger Ehlert and Scuderia Virginia Trotto.

Utoughi Grif (3m Classic Photo-Lybra EK-Toss Out) was second for G.P. Minnucci with third to Urbi Et Orbi Jet (3m Pine Chip-Opportunity OK-Supergill-Quebec Lobell, the latter a Speedy Crown-Quick Trip daughter) with Federico Esposito at the lines.

Upcoming on April 28 is the Gr. I UET Masters Series Lotteria (final purse €506,000, eliminations €14,300 each and €33,000 concolation), each heat over 1600 meters autostart. There are 66 horses initially eligible with Billie de Montfort and Voltigeur de Myrt from France, Mambo Blue Chip of the US and Italy’s stalwarts Pascia’Lest, Princess Grif, Radiofreccia FI, Orsia, Oasis Bi, Nonant le Pin and Newyork Newyork.

by Thomas H.Hicks, for Harnesslink