Italian racing

Many eyes will be on the top-class racing in Ireland this weekend, but the relentless run of yearling sales continues, with Italy's major auction taking place on Saturday at San Siro racecourse in Milan. Among those in action at the 117-lot sale will be Valfredo Valiani, whose globetrotting success as a trainer saw him conquer the Knavesmire not once but twice, first with Super Tassa (Ire) in the Yorkshire Oaks of 2001 and then four years later with Electrocutionist, winner of the Juddmonte International. An amateur rider from a young...

Already a listed winner after taking Milan's Premio Giuseppe de Montel on June 30, El Kabeir colt Don Chicco (GB) bounced back from a second versus heavy 2-5 favourite Some Respect (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in the Oct. 3 Listed Premio Vittorio Riva with a 1 1/4-length victory in the Premio Gran Criterium in Rome on Sunday. Second in a local debutante heat over 1000 metres on May 1, the bay graduated by three lengths switched to the all-weather here just eight days later and was making his fifth start in...

Atamisque (Ire) (Highland Reel {Ire}), who was a course-and-distance winner when unveiled on Oct. 3, gave her sire his first black-type winner and group scorer in one fell swoop with a 3 1/2-length success in the G2 Premio Dormello in Rome on Sunday. The 6-5 crowd's pick tracked the pace in sixth through the early going as Terra Del Sole (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) showed the way. That rival hugged the rail into the home straight as the rest of the field shifted away from the inside and was still clinging...

The Italian Classics have been provisionally scheduled and close on May 14 at noon, Jour de Galop reported on Wednesday. The €154,000 G3 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) and €154,000 G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas) are slated for Sunday, June 7. The €704,000 G2 Derby Italiano will be held on June 21 and the €407,000 G2 Premio Oaks d'Italia seven days later on June 28. An actual date for the resumption of Italian racing has not been given, although the date of May 19 has been discussed, as...

All sporting events, including racing, have been suspended in Italy until at least Apr. 3 due the coronavirus, Jour de Galop reported on Tuesday. The Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte made the announcement, which follows on the heels of Italy instating a nationwide quarantine on Monday. In addition to the country's sporting events, restaurants and bars close at 6 p.m. and, if entering a store, customers must maintain a one-metre distance from each other. All public gatherings have also been suspended in Italy. As of 6 p.m. Central European Time...