THERE was an exciting finish to the Group 2 142nd Derby Italiano at the Cappanelle on Monday last when the Marco Botti-trained Molveno and Marco Ghiani got up in the final strides to head the Phoenix Of Spain outsider Crazy Spirit and take the classic by a head.

It gave the Newmarket-based trainer, from the famous Italian racing family, a first win in the classic and it led home a family 1-2-3-4 in Rome.

The winner was towards the rear of the 18-runner field before making progress three out, and ran on strongly to lead in the closing stages under Marco Ghiani, hitting the front in the final few yards to pip Crazy Spirit and Lao Tzu, both trained by Stefano Botti, with Klaynn in fourth for Endo Botti.

The winner, owned by Scuderia Sagam Srl, is a son of the Wootton Bassett horse Almanzor, out of the Dubawi mare Clotilde and bred by Chasemore Farm who sold him for 32,000gns at the Tatts October Book 3 yearling sale in 2023.

Botti was quoted by Racing Post saying: “It’s amazing to win the Italian Derby as an Italian. It was all about finding the right horse for this race. As soon as he crossed the line, I said sorry to my brother, but he’s won this race quite a few times.

“This means a lot to all of us. Marco was quite emotional as he’s Italian too and the Derby is the Derby.”

Molveno had won three times on the all-weather over the winter and was last seen finishing second off a mark of 87 in a mile handicap at the Guineas meeting at Newmarket but saw out this mile and three-furlong contest very well.

Botti’s father Alduino had trained four winners of Italy’s big race, one in tandem with his uncle Giuseppe, while brother Stefano has enjoyed five victories and cousin Endo has been successful as a jockey and trainer.

Tom Marquand finished sixth aboard the German-trained favourite Zauberkonig, while the other British runner, Andrew Balding’s Our ‘enery, was last of the 18 under David Probert.