11 May. ITA. Derby Italiano. G1. Rome. 2.200 mts. Turf. 1.000.000 €
1.- CIMA DE TRIOMPHE (S.Mulas)
2.- PERMESSO (U.Rispoli)
3.- PAPETTI (P.Convertino)


Although big hope Farrel (Fruits Of Love) failed to win today Bruno Grizzetti will be returning to Varese this evening a happy trainer after saddling three of the first four home in the 125th Italian Derby.

There was never much to separate the field for most of the 2200m (11f) contest with favoured Fathayer (Volponi) and Senlis (High Chaparral) dictating the pace.

As the nineteen runners entered the stretch the field spread out almost the whole width of the track and although Fathayer had given himself a lead of 1½ lengths, he was soon joined by Senlis and Rastignano (Spartacus).

Permesso (Sakhee) took over the lead with a furlong to go but Silvano Mulas on Cima De Triomphe (Galileo) came with a strong run and held on to win by a half-length from a fast-finishing Permesso. A further length away in third came Papetti with Farrel another half-length behind.

Cima De Triomphe came into the Derby Italiano off a Listed win at San Siro three weeks ago, just his second victory from five starts.

The only foreign runner in the race was Peter Chapple-Hyam’s Bougereau (Alhaarth) who could manage only seventh. Emilio Borromeo’s Italian 2,000 Guineas winner Senlis placed ninth.