RIARIO RACES INTO PARIOLI PICTURE

Article taken from the EBN
By FRANCO RAIMONDI
The unbeaten Riario, a member of the first crop of BEAT HOLLLOW (Sadler’s Wells), stamped himself the probable favourite for the Premio Parioli (the Italian equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas), with a solid win in yesterday’s Listed Premio Gardone at San Siro. The chesnut colt, owned and trained by Mil Borromeo, targeted the odds-on choice Amante Latino (Mujahid) and settled in fourth place behind the pacemaker Big Sugar (Mark of Esteem). Amante Latino picked up the lead a furlong and a half out but Riario out-kicked him, winning by half a length under a strong ride from Marco Monteriso. Riario ran the mile in 1.37.7 and his last half mile was privately clocked in 45.48 on ground rated as good.

 “I’m very pleased with him. Riario is a baby, he was born in mid May, and I gave him some easy days after his last win, five weeks back in Rome. He will improve a lot after this race and I think he will stay more than one mile but the Premio Parioli is a definite target for him,” said Mil Borromeo.

Amante Latino can reverse this form in the Premio Parioli, at least that is the hope of his trainer Vittorio Caruso. “I wanted a true race and I asked the jockey of Big Sugar to set a fast pace. Riario outran my horse, that’s not drama, just racing. Next time I’ll change the tactics and we will see.”

The Premio Parioli is scheduled for Sunday, 29th April and Riario will try to defeat the Premio Gardone’s jinx. Pelder, in 1993, was the last horse to win the major Italian trial and repeat it in the Classic.

Riario, a E17,000 purchase at the Sga Selected Sale, is the third winner out of the Listed-placed Caterina Sforza. Sold not covered for 18,000gns by breeder Franca Vittadini at Tattersalls December Sale in 2004, Caterina Sforza has a yearling filly by Alhaarth and she visited Azamour last year.

Date: 9 April 2007