by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Thirty trotters have died in a barn fire at a stud farm near Naples, Italy.

It was a fire from a burning field, which spread to a barn with wrap hay and from there on to the stable, where 30 trotters were stabled.

As it happed during the evening and nobody lives at the farm, the alarm was called in too late and as the fire brigade arrived at the scene, the barn with the horses was nearly burned down.

Among the trotters was the first winner of a race for 2-year-olds in Italy, Zircone Jet, sired by Wishing Stone.

The police are investigating the case.