Stefano Botti, who now trains in partnership with his father, Alduino, has won four of the last five runnings of the G2 Derby Italiano, and will today saddle at Capannelle two-thirds of the nine runners, the smallest field since 1967 in the Italian Classic. Mr. Robert Ng has recently purchased the unbeaten Dee Dee D'Or (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}), the impressive winner of the Listed Premio Emanuele Filiberto. Biz Heart (Ire) (Roderic O'Connor {Ire}), the winner of G2 Gran Criterium at two, lost in his seasonal debut, giving 3 1/2 kilos. The colt, usually a bit hot in the preliminary stages, will wear cheekpieces for the first time. Poeta Diletto (GB) (Poet's Voice {GB}), a Group 3 scorer at three, won the G3 Premio Parioli, the Italian equivalent of the 2000 Guineas, and will try to become the third winner of the mile Classic to double in the Derby since 1969. “All my six runners deserve a spot in the Derby and all will run according their profile,” said Stefano Botti.
The Italian Classic, the richest G2 in Europe, has attracted two raiders, the Irish True Solitaire (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the German Isfahan (Ger) (Lord Of England {Ger}). True Solitaire topped his juvenile season running second in G2 Beresford at The Curragh and ran as if he needed a step-up in trip in the Listed 2000 Guineas Trial in his seasonal debut over 1600 metres at Leopardstown. His trainer, Dermot Weld, won the Derby Italiano in 1992 with In A Tiff (Ire) (Caerleon). Isfahan landed the G3 Preis Des Winterfavoriten, the German Championship event for juvenile colts, and came back three weeks ago with a dominating win in the G3 Bavarian Classic at Munich.
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