Rome, IT — Italian trotting has a new international star in 8-year-old Always Ek, trained by Alessandro Gocciadoro.
A fortnight ago, Always Ek surprisingly won the Gran Premio Gaetano Turilli on the Italian Derby Day program.
On Sunday (Oct. 27) he repeated the victory in the Gran Premio delle Nazioni- one of Italy’s most prestigious international races and which this year featured the newly crowned UET Elite Circuit final winner Go On Boy and last year’s Elitlopp winner, Hohneck.
But they both only got to see the back of Always Ek, which Magnus A. Djuse drove offensive from the start and managed to show off attack from Hohneck with Gabriele Gelormini.
But Hohneck didn’t get by and was parked outside without cover,
And Go On Boy with Romain Derieux was, as usual, some way down the field.
The pace was tuff along the way.
Hohneck pushed hard in the dying stages, but it cost him a lot of energy and he was out of the picture with 500 meters to go.
On the other hand, there was plenty of power left in Always Ek, who pulled away from the field and won safely in 1:54.1f (mile rate).
Go On Boy made it to second place followed by another Gocciadoro horse, Dolce Viky with Robert Vecchione – Hohneck bravely held on for fourth place.
There was a purse for the winner of 92,000 Euro for Chance EK, who has had a great season – in addition to today’s win and the Turilli victory, he also won the Gran Premio Due Mari at the Taranto track.
Always Ek is Italian through and through in his pedigree.
His sire is Filipp Roc – sired by Uronometro by Lemon Dra, while his dam, Nike Ek is sired by Varenne.
On the same card, the 2-year-old Ginostrabliggi – owned and trained by French top trainer, Phillippe Allaire won his fourth race in a row in a new European record for 2-year-olds 1:54.4f.
Ginostrabliggi , who had Gabriele Gelormini in the bike, is sired by Muscle Hill and out of Gilly LB, she by Supergill.