by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

The European Championship for 5-year-old trotters raced Sunday (April 8) in Turin, Italy, was an entirely Italian affair as only Italian trotters were entered in the $130,000 event.

It was won by the chestnut Nesta Effe, driven by Roberto Vecchione, who in a photo finish took down the heavy favorite Napoleon Bar, driven by Enrico Bellei.

Gerard Forni photo

Nesta Effe (#3) beat Napoleon Bar (#2) to win the European Championship in Turin.

Napoleon Bar (sired by Varenne) is trained in France by Fabrice Souloy and raced last time in the international mile race, Grand Criterium du Vitesse, where he finished fourth, beaten a half-length by the winner, Santa Rosa France. Therefore it was obvious that he was just 2/5 in the betting.

After a recall Nesta Effe went to the front, but after the first quarter Napoleon Bar took over. It looked as though Enrico Bellei behind Napoleon Bar was able to control the race, but around the last corner Nesta Effe found racing room and came up the outside of Napoleon Bar. The pair went side by side down the stretch and it was impossible to see who had won at the finish line. The judges called for a photo and it showed that Nesta Effe had won by a nose.

Nesta Effe is sired by the Swedish stallion Naglo — he by Coktail Jet of France. As a 3-year-old Nesta Effe won the prestigious Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli and finished second in the Italian Trotting Derby. Last year he won the Gran Premio Continentale, beating the favorite, Wishing Stone.

On the same card Sunday some of the best Italian 4-year-old trotters met in the Gran Premio Citta di Torino. That race was won by a fast finishing Orsia (sired by Angus Hall), who was driven by Alessandro Gocciadoro.

The track in Turin also hosted the European Championship for apprentices. This championship was won by Sven Schrall from The Netherlands, who won two of the four races in the competition.