by Thomas Hedlund

Italy’s most prominent trainer, Alessandro Gocciadoro had a nice day at the track when Turin played host to some high class-races on Sunday (April 6) afternoon. The Italian sun was shining in Turin and Gocciadoro’s yellow racing colors did the same as he claimed both final divisions of the $185,000 Anact Stakes Plus+ for 4-year-olds.

Funny Gio (Face Time Bourbon) was simply the best horse in the mares’ division and Gocciadoro’s trotter had to do the tough job first over, a trip that she proved to handle without problems. Funny Gio was pushed to the lead with a quarter to go in the 2,060 meter race and then she just cruised to a safe win in a strong mile rate of 1:55.4. Stablemate Fantastic Gio finished second while Freisa Roc was third.

The boys’ final included Gocciadoro’s Italian Derby winner First Of Mind (Face Time Bourbon) and the 4-year-old showed that he very well can look forward to a career among the best horses in Europe. In Sunday’s final he got orders to attack in intervals and when Gocciadoro put in an extra gear with a kilometer to go, First Of Mind overtook the lead from early leader Fil Ek. Tough pushing in high pace didn’t stop First Of Mind in the stretch and he had power and moral to defend himself when Funky Roc challenged on the outside.

The Face Time Bourbon son won in a mile rate of 1:56.3 over 1.3 miles, Funky Roc was the runner up and Fil Ek held on for the bronze medal.

Older elite trotters met up in the $200,000 Gran Premio Costa Azzurra and it ended with Gocciadoro horses on top. Gabriele Gelormini was entrusted behind Dany Capar (Exploit Caf) and the duo hit the front position directly when the car accelerated at the start. But Gelormini opted to let Dany Capar’s stablemate Vernissage Grif overtake the front position with a little less than a lap to go and the cover trip paid out well when Dany Capar attacked the leader at the top of the stretch. Dany Capar seemed to cruise to an easy win, but stablemate Always Ek showed up in a very fast finish on the far outside and it got tight as the wire approached.

Always Ek’s furious speed trying to claim the win was initiated too late, and Dany Capar held the chaser behind him by a neck and won in 1:54 over 1,600 meters.

Gocciadoro left the racetrack in Turin with three Group 1 victories and his horses really performing at the top. Probably, there will be more “yellow” at the tracks as the sun heats up Europe in the months to come.