Scuderia Effevi aims for Italian Guineas double

Felice Villa's Scuderia Effevi has a chance to finally snatch its first win

in the Premio Parioli (Italian Two Thousand Guineas) (Ity-G3) Sunday. The

reigning Italian champion owner has won the Derby and the Oaks three times since

2007, and the Italian One Thousand Guineas once, but the Parioli has been an

elusive target.

Hero Look (Lope De Vega) looked like an international prospect in his

juvenile season, which was highlighted by an easy win in the Gran Criterium

(Ity-G2). The colt returned three weeks ago in a conditions race over 1600

meters and was forced to a first defeat in the stewards' room. A bit coltish in

the saddling enclosure and giving seven pounds to his rivals, bumped Pelandrun (Gladiatorus)

in the last 30 meters and crossed the line a neck in front, only to be

disqualified.

General Sherman (Teofilo) is the fresh force of the race. The La Nuova

Sbarra's homebred, who opened his account in his second juvenile start,

outbattled Clockwinder (Intikhab) in his seasonal debut over 1600 meters at

Capannelle, and stepped up to score by four lengths in the Premio Gardone, a

solid Parioli trial, at San Siro.

Muqaawel (Daaher), a clever 15,000gns purchase at the Tattersalls horses in

training sale last year, has changed gears since joining trainer Ana Imaz Ceca

at San Sebastian in Spain. The colt, one for five in England, came back with a

third in the Prix De La Californie over the all-weather track at Cagnes Sur Mer,

and outfinished the Group 3 scorer and Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) candidate

Ride Like The Wind (Lope De Vega) in a conditions race over Deauville's

synthetic track.

Fabio Branca, the retained jockey of Scuderia Effevi, faced a tough choice

for Sunday's Premio Regina Elena (Italian One Thousand Guineas) (Ity-G3), with

his boss, Felice Villa, having two talented and unbeaten fillies in the race.

Reset In Blue (Fastnet Rock) opened her account strolling home in her

juvenile debut over 1800 meters and has won her two starts over 1600 meters this

season by a combined 11 1/2 lengths. Sound Of Freedom (Duke Of Marmalade) has

had a similar path; she has won her three starts by a combined nine lengths,

including last month's Premio Seregno at San Siro. Branca chose Reset In Blue

and Cristian Demuro gets the call on Sound Of Freedom.

Trainer Bruno Grizzetti has won the Regina Elena seven times, and this year

he will saddle Testa O Croce (Orpen), who needed four starts to break her maiden

last year and ended the season with an unlucky third in the Criterium Femminile.

Testa O Croce won much easier than the margin -- a neck -- suggested in a

conditions race over 1600 meters at San Siro April 1.

"She is a very good filly and is entered also in the French One Thousand

Guineas (Fr-G1)," said Grizzetti. "I decided to run her just once before the

Regina Elena because I want to have a fresh filly in the classic and for the

rest of the season. I will campaign her in France in the future because she is

eligible for the French bonuses."

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