Tanking up to sit in midpack while glued to the rail, the Markus Klug-trained colt was a bit keen nearing the bend, but eventually settled down. He edged toward the front under his own power while still saving ground, and was tipped off the inside to make his run 800 metres from home. Employing a speedy turn of foot, he drew into contention at the 600-metre mark, but was passed by Tempesti (Ity) (Albert Dock {Jpn}), who rallied sharply and took over inside the final quarter-mile. Not letting that foe out of his sights, he dove back to the fence and just edged him by a neck. It was 3 1/4 lengths back to Frozen Day (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}) in third.

Lightly raced, the grey broke his maiden in the G3 Premio Berardelli in Rome last November, his third trip to the post. He was three-quarters of a length behind Martel (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the Listed Prix de l'Avre at ParisLongchamp in a warm-up for this test on May 5.

Pedigree Notes

Ardakan is one of 19 black-type winners, 14 at group level, for his shuttle sire Reliable Man. The grey has three Group 1 winners to his credit–Miami Bound (NZ), Inspirational Girl (NZ), and Miss Sentimental (NZ)–from his time spent shuttling to New Zealand. Sternkoenig (Ire) counts Ardakan as one of seven group winners among his 17 stakes winners as a broodmare sire. Also grey and tracing tail-male back to Nasrullah through the Grey Sovereign (GB) line, his daughters have produced three Group 1 winners led by the globetrotting Ivanhowe (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), and the G1 Deutsches Derby winners Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) and Weltstar (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). The latter pair are both out of the winning mare Wellenspiel (Ger).

Stakes placed in Germany at three, Alaskakonigin (Ger) (Sternkoenig {Ire}) improved to take the Listed Grosser Preis der Sparkasse Dortmund over 2000 metres as a 4-year-old. Her first foal, Astor (Ger) (Siyouni {Fr}), was a winner, and the German stakes winner Alaskasonne (Fr) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), who ran third in the G2 Carl Jaspers Preis was her second foal. The latter holds an engagement in Tuesday's G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud. Ardakan is her third produce, while her Nathaniel (Ire) foal of 2020 died. A half-sister to multiple stakes winner and dual Group 3-placed Alicante (Ger) (Lando {Ger}), her latest produce is a yearling colt by Best Solution (Ire) already named Abanos (GB). Another half-sister to Alaskakonigin, the Dashing Blade (GB) filly Andrea (Ger), ran third in the G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) in 2009. The fourth dam, Anstandige (Ger) (Star Appeal {Ire}) was a half-sister to the high-class runner and influential matriarch Anna Paola (Ger) (Prince Ippi {Ger}).

Sunday, Rome, Italy
PREMIO DERBY ITALIANO CAMPUS BIOMEDICO DI ROMA-G2, €640,200, Capannelle, 5-22, 3yo, c/f, 2200mT, 2:17.40, gd.
1–ARDAKAN (GB), 128, c, 3, Reliable Man (GB)
                1st Dam: Alaskakonigin (Ger) (SW-Ger),
                                by Sternkoenig (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Annouche (Ger), by Unfuwain
                3rd Dam: Anna Thea (Ire), by Turfkonig (Ger)
(€40,000 Ylg '20 BBASEP). O-Darius Racing. B-Gestut Rottgen
(GB). T-Markus Klug. J-Clement Lecoeuvre. €247,350. Lifetime
Record: 5-2-2-1, €292,115. *1/2 to Alaskasonne (Fr) (Soldier
Hollow {GB}), SW & GSP-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tempesti (Ity), 128, c, 3, Albert Dock (Jpn)–Tender Hugs (Ire),
by Bahcelor Duke. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Razza Dormello
Olgiata Di Citai. B-Societa Agricola C.I.T.A.I. (Ity). T-Riccardo
Santini. €108,834.
3–Frozen Day (Ire), 128, c, 3, The Gurkha (Ire)–Sweet Lollipop
(Ire), by Shamardal. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€10,000 Wlg
'19 GOFNOV). O-Stefano Botti Turf SRL. B-Razza Del Velino SRL
(Ire). T-A. Botti. €59,364.
Margins: NK, 3 1/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 1.35, 2.65, 5.50.
Also Ran: Emperor Of Love (Ire), Lohengrin (Ity), Don Chicco (GB), Chelsea Gardens (GB), Il Grande Black (Ire), Gold Tango (Ire), Tramaglino (Ity), Di Lido, Open Skies (Ger), Lord Sakay (Ire), Vecello (GB), Arrival (Ire).
Click for the or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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