Italian industry adapting to the strictest measures during national lockdown

Daily life in Italy has been affected in an incomparable way, with the country the worst-hit by coronavirus in Europe and its death toll is now reported to have surpassed that of China.

No business, nor individual, is unaffected by a national lockdown which is set to be extended into next month. Its breeding industry, already a shadow of the times of Federico Tesio and palpably a parochial concern in the grander scheme of things, has not escaped either.

Paolo Crespi runs the Societa Agricola Besnate near Milan, which stands four thoroughbred stallions including Italy’s most expensive publicly listed sire Arcano, winner of the 2009 Prix Morny for Brian Meehan and Shadwell.

Crespi said on Thursday: "In the last few days there's been no realistic possibility of moving the horses around because the decree made by the government wasn’t completely openly speaking of horses that could be moved for reproduction purposes. Horses that were to do with sport couldn’t be moved.

"Yesterday evening they released a note by the ministry that will allow specifically the movement of horses for reproduction purposes. People who move horses commercially will be allowed to operate."

Arcano is the main stallion at the stud near MilanCredit: Http://www.sab.it

On the face of it, this might be considered good news. Crespi, however, says the reality is very different.

"It’s difficult to explain if you don’t know yet, but of course when the lockdown comes on, people stop thinking of thoroughbred reproduction, you're a bit overwhelmed by other problems, everyday problems," he said.

"I think that, realistically, there will be maybe a few people still sending their mares, we do have every procedure here, but there will not be racing for how long? We don’t know. Many people are certainly choosing to cover as few mares as they can."

He paints a vivid picture of present-day life in a country that has a golden history in racing.

"This is a problem solved but it doesn’t solve the biggest picture, which is the lockdown, and it’s very serious," he continued.

"According to the press, it could become even more serious in the next few days. I can’t see my daughter, who lives 100 metres away, period. Of course I have permission to go to check if the sanitary requirements are met in the farm, I go there two hours every second day to bring masks and so on, but that’s all.

"We have a procedure if a mare arrives; the people travelling with the mare, they must be put in a corner and quarantined, they cannot approach us. Not even the handlers of the mare, they would stay two metres apart, they're forbidden to do any different.

"All procedures in the farm are limited to the bare necessity. For example, a client asked for a picture of their horses and I replied, 'No', because it’s unnecessary. No more weighing yearlings, that’s unnecessary.

"My nephew wanted to purchase a game for the computer and it raised a big question. If you purchase something that is unnecessary, maybe the men who are delivering something to you will do that and not something that isn’t unnecessary. It’s serious, the lockdown, and I want all my English friends to know that.

"It’s something unbelievable, but we’re learning. We’ve changed our priorities. And that’s it."

Breeder and Goffs representative Angelo Robiati describes the situation as 'completely strange'

Angelo Robiati, a breeder and Goffs’ Italian representative, is another subject to home confinement aside from when strictly necessary.

"The situation is not brilliant at all, it’s completely strange," he said on Thursday.

"Several of the best Italian breeders have already been boarding their mares in England, Ireland, and France, so the situation is easier for them.

"In Italy the good stallions are based near Milan, but it’s quite hard to move horses, say if you have mares in Rome. And in our training centres, Alduino Botti and Bruno Grizzetti are limited in the work they can do with their horses.

"The Italian racing season would ordinarily start today, but there are rumours they will maybe postpone until Easter. It’s quite impossible that the situation will be clear, I suppose. We have to stay at home and cross our fingers."

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