St. Leger Second 'Ventura' Wins GI in Italy
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Ladbrokes St. Leger (Eng-I) runner-up Ventura Storm rebounded to land his first group I win in the Premio del Jockey Club (Ity-I) Oct. 16 at San Siro in Milan.
With Cristian Demuro riding for trainer Richard Hannon, Ventura Storm defeated local hope Full Drago by a neck, with Elbereth in third, but the winner's connections had to wait out a stewards' inquiry into alleged interference that ultimately was disallowed. Ventura Storm is from the first crop of Coolmore Stud sire Zoffany and is his sire's first group I winner.
Full Drago sprinted out to set the pace, with Ventura Storm close up and then pressing the leader with more than three furlongs to run, before engaging him a quarter-mile out. Ventura Storm got his head in front approaching the final furlong, but Full Drago battled back to regain command before Ventura Storm came on again to lead in the final 120 yards.
All out for Demuro, Ventura Storm covered 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) in 2:29.20 on good turf as the 6-5 favorite.
"We were caught a bit flat-footed when the local horse went on. We managed to get to him with a furlong to go, but as our horse went by, the two of them came together," Tim Palin—representing Ventura Storm's owner, Middleham Park Stud—told England's Press Association. "You do worry when it's that close, but it was a superb performance and a great ride by the jockey. He made a difference in the finish."
Palin said Ventura Storm dug deep and Demuro got the best out of the colt, who most likely has had his final start of the season. Ventura Storm has captured half of his eight starts this year, including three minor stakes in England and France, and has six wins from 12 starts overall. He came into Sunday's race after finishing a three-quarter-length second to Harbour Law in the St. Leger Sept. 10.
"He's won his group I," Palin said. "I think we'll put him away for the season and probably start 2017 off with the Coronation Cup (Eng-I) as his first serious target. He might have a run or two along the way."
Bred in Ireland by Laurence Kennedy, Ventura Storm was produced by the Haafhd mare Sarawati. He was a 110,000 guineas ($171,448) purchase by agents Peter and Ross Doyle at the 2015 Tattersalls Craven breeze-up sale, where Mocklershill's agency consigned.