Rock of Gibraltar yearling tops in Italy

A daughter of Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) topped proceedings during the Selected

Yearling Sale organized by Italian Thoroughbred Sales (ITS) at Rieti on

Wednesday. Hip No. 73, from the draft of Razza del Velino, is a half-sister to

the 2004 Oaks d'Italia (Ity-G1) runner-up Step Danzer (Desert Prince [Ire]) and

the 2005 Premio Carlo Chiesa (Ity-G3) winner Baila Salsa (Barathea [Ire]), and

was knocked down to Scuderia Gina Biasuzzi for €90,000.

The filly will enter training with Endo Botti, who recently retired from the

saddle and has set up a state-of-the-art stable at San Rossore in Pisa.

Those buyers were some of a host of high-profile trotting owners present at

the Villa d'Assio venue, alongside Alberto Panetta, who paid

€70,000 for the top-priced colt consigned by

Azienda Agricola Rosati Colarieti. Hip 76 by Verglas (Ire) is a half-sister to

Farrel (Fruits of Love), a three-time stakes scorer who was also third in last

year's Gran Criterium (Ity-G1) and fourth in the latest renewal of the Derby

Italiano (Ity-G1). Allevamento la Nuova Sbarra later paid

€60,000 for Razza del Pian del Lago's Hip

86, a daughter of Invincible Spirit whose stakes-placed dam has already produced

the smart Dubai-based performer Emteyaz (Mark of Esteem [Ire]). Among the

overseas buyers were Bobby O'Ryan, Grove Stud, Con Marnane and Mario Hofer.

Full results are available on www.its-aste.com.