Estejo (centre) beats Voila Ici in Premio Presidente Della Repubblica 2011
PICTURE: Hippogroup Roma Capannelle/Stefano GrassoAfsare and Putra out to plunder Presidente prize
Preview: Italy, Sunday, 4.30pm BST
Capannelle: Premio Presidente Della Repubblica (Group 1) 1m2f, turf, 4yo+
TWO British-trained challengers, Sri Putra (Roger Varian/Neil Callan) and Afsare (Luca Cumani/Kieren Fallon), take on seven opponents for this Group 1 contest and at their best both are capable of claiming a share of the €209,000 prize.
Sri Putra began his 2012 campaign in winning form with a narrow success over Saamidd in the Listed Paradise Stakes at Kempton earlier his month - his first success in more than two years . He had been highly-tried last year and finished third in two Group 1s, the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.
Varian told his website: "Sri Putra has come out of his Kempton win in good form. It looks a hot race but on the pick of his form he should have a very good chance."
The likely favourite is Crackerjack King (Stefano Botti/Fabio Branca), last year's Derby Italiano winner and successful in six of his starts.
This will be the Shamardal colt's final appearance before joining Marco Botti's Newmarket yard, where he will represent a partnership between owner Scuderia Effevi and Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock.
Stefano Botti said: "Crackerjack King is very well and has come on for his winning return at San Siro. [Stablemate] Douce Vie will make the pace and we hope he will run well in what looks a competitive race."
Improver: Quiza Quiza Quiza
PICTURE: Hippogroup Roma Capannelle/Stefano GrassoAfsare is looking for a first win since taking the Listed Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2010, but ran with some promise on hisreturn to action last month, finishing fourth behind Questioning in the Group 3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket.
The German-trained and Italian-owned Estejo (Ralf Rohne/Mirco Demuro) collected this prize a year ago but then missed the rest of the season having sustained an injury. He has needed his two starts this year, although he was staying on encouragingly when runner-up to Saratoga Black (Bruno Grizzetti/Dario Vargiu) in the Group 3 Premio Ambrosiano at San Siro last month.
Saratoga Black ran abysmally on his only subsequent start, while Estejo has reportedly thrivedsince that defeat and is bidding for a third Group 1 win.
Quiza Quiza Quiza (Luigi Riccardi/Cristian Demuro) was third to Estejo in this race last year and showed improved form when closing her 2011 campaign with a Group 1 success over John Dunlop's Beatrice Aurore in the Longines Lydia Tesio.
She split Crackerjack King and Estejo when runner-up in a conditions race at San Siro on her seasonal return last month and while connections believe she has improved greatly for that outing and has enjoyed a trouble-free preparation, the same can be said for the classy Crackerjack King.
Waldpark (Andreas Wohler/Eddie Pedroza) is the second Derby winner in the line-up, having won the German version last year when the Tom Dascombe-trained Brown Panther was just over four lengths back in fifth.
Waldpark was a beaten favourite when failing by a half-length to overhaul Mighty Mouse in a Cologne Listed race last month and is expected to leave behind that form.
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