BERARDELLI: "LET'S FOCUS ON BREEDING"

Our desire to spark a constructive debate on horse racing with the provocative interview with Franco Castlefranchi has clearly hit the mark. We recorded the interview with Antonio Viani, President of the Italian Association of Horse Racing Owners, and now we'd like to present you with the interview with a colleague who has no specific economic interests, but who is certainly animated by a deep passion and has an unrivalled knowledge of everything that has shaped the history of Italian horse racing.
 

"A few days ago, during a full interview on this site, Franco Castelfranchi quite appropriately tried to shake up the world of Italian horse racing. Let's say that he apparently came in with both feet, or as he himself said, in a provocative manner.
He did the right thing because, before it's too late, it's important that our sector at least discusses some issues that are fundamental, indeed vital. If we want to design the future of our horse racing through a wide-ranging project, we can't ignore the need to have clear ideas on various issues or topics that cannot be avoided. Franco has had the merit of calling the best minds to order because it is unthinkable to bury our heads in the sand any further. It is good to reflect on the fact that we are risking a ‘medievalisation’ of our Galoppo, already embarked on a sort of dark night. We are on a dangerous ridge and Franco has correctly listed many of the points that should be the subject of reflection and then action. At this time we have the great chance of being able to count on the full support of the institution that is the reference point for our world, namely the Ministry of Agriculture, which has our future at heart.
 

It would be a serious mistake if our world were unable to participate, as an indispensable intellectual driving force, in this praiseworthy intention of the Ministry, supporting it intellectually and together designing the outlines of the indispensable project of rebirth that can no longer be postponed.
 

Franco Castelfranchi's learned appeal cannot remain an academic exercise but must give way to a movement of intelligent participation in the sector. We must not lose our fundamentals, we must reaffirm them for the new generations as well, we are truly facing a defining moment for our sector and in particular for horse racing. It would be unforgivable, as Franco fears, not to be the architects of our own destiny. The future of Italian horse racing would truly be at stake.
 

Gustav Mahler taught us that the cultured and intellectual task is to keep the fire alive and not to stand guard over the ashes. Italian gallop, almost ‘Hegelianly’, periodically questioned itself and also gave itself an answer that allowed a synthesis capable of overcoming the previous period and designing a future. It did this at the dawn of the 20th century when it reaffirmed with conviction the essential position of gallop in an international context, it did this by importing stallions and mares, designing a calendar that was increasingly in synergy with the European one.
 

Perhaps by chance, but he was rewarded by the triumphs of Ginistrelli and it is no coincidence, for example, that the first editions of Parioli and Elena were won by the ‘enlightened’ Felice Scheibler. Between the two world wars, this was one of our ‘Golden Ages’, the result of the highly cultured commitment of our great operators: Apelle, Ortello, Crapom, Pilade, Navarro, il Cavaliere (he considered him his best), Sanzio, Archidamia, Nogara, Delleana, Erba, Jacopa del Sellaio, Donatello, Nearco, Niccolò, Bellini up to Macherio and especially Orsenigo, who was stopped only by the war. An extraordinary and highly cultured period, which was followed, after the parameters had been reset, by the post-war period up to the mid-60s: Tenerani, Fante, Nuccio, Botticelli, Ribot, Marguerite Vernaut, Molvedo, Exar, Prince Royal, Rio Marin, Tadolina, Hogart, Appiani....
 

Another golden moment that preceded the marvellous season that marked a further intellectual growth of our sector capable of giving itself a fully international dimension, the unforgettable 70s of Carlo D'Alessio and Carlo Vittadini and not only them, let's be clear, which were counterpointed by the 80s of, just to mention two horses, Toni Bin and Carrol's House. Not to mention the 90s and the first decade of the 2000s. This is just to remind you that there is a very lively fire that we must not let go out... Before it's too late. 
Franco has touched on many important topics. One, palpable, is that of the situation of our trainers. I remember that at the beginning of the 90s Italy and Ireland had the same number of trainers, while today... That's why we have to keep the fire alive, or rather feed it. The Italian trainers and jockeys and their situation of enormous suffering are in effect a litmus test or thermometer of a high fever in the sector. There's no doubt about it, but be careful, it's not by trying hard to find a cure to try to heal the problems of the Pattern and Listed horses that we can heal the galloping sector. This would only be a palliative and, for me, it is a big mistake not to treat the whole organism of the galloping ‘patient’. If we succeed, I believe that the fever of the Pattern and Listed horses will automatically disappear as well. How can we do it?

As I said before, through a large-scale project that can design the future of the sector. 
This has happened periodically in our history: in the second half of the 19th century with the creation of Jockey and Steeple, a fundamental driving force for progress, then at the beginning of the 1930s with the invention of Unire, closely linked to the Ministry of Agriculture, then again at the end of the 50s when, by law, it became compulsory to provide maximum support for our breeding and finally, in the second half of the 70s, when intellectually and culturally driven by the actions of some of our owners, breeders and operators (two names impossible not to mention: Carlo Vittadini and Carlo D'Alessio) our world of galloping decided to have the courage to open up to comparison (here too a courageous and determined name: Franco Aloisi President of the Jockey Club) making all our classic races and races that were then only for us, or rather only for native horses, a training ground for comparison. Anti-historical to the max, but Franco Aloisi, obviously not alone, opened us up to the world and this led our best minds (Franco lived that moment as a protagonist) to reflect and design a series of interventions that allowed our breeding, starting from the end of the 80s, to show itself to be truly competitive as our past demanded and as I highlighted above.
 

These were the years (I'm quoting from memory so I may have forgotten the best ones) of our Electrocutionist, Worthadd, Falbrav, Le Vie dei Colori, Prince Kirk, Ramonti, Rakti, Blu Constellation, Rip Van Winkle, Slap Shot, Groom Tesse, Gentlemen Only, Tisserand, Pressing, Altieri, and Sea of Class, Way To Paris and Regional and I apologise for anyone I may have forgotten. What am I trying to say? That if breeding is strong in Italy and produces champions, then inevitably any imports of foals in our own country must have a much better standard than at present. Obviously, in that case, the foreign guests who come to race in our selection races must also have a much higher rating in order to win or at least place.

It seems like the proverbial chicken and egg situation, but it's true. It's also clear that with this kind of attendance, autarchic or foreign, the value of our patterns and also listed would be, as it was until the first decade of 2000, perfectly in line with the requirements to be group one, two or three.
 

Our breeding programme was high profile until the early 70s thanks to the commitment and investment of our operators. From the 70s onwards, the provisions for breeding (established by law at the end of the 50s, incorporated in the previous Tesio - Mangelli law of 1942, then repealed) were absolutely decisive and salvific which allowed our breeders (wonderfully represented by ANAC) to invest in the purchase of breeding stock and the related travel expenses, or even in the acquisition of broodmares or out-of-training mares with certain requirements. Until the Provvidenze were operational the results were evident, but since they have been withdrawn our production (also due to the recession in terms of general resources) has drastically decreased in terms of quantity (about two thirds) and unfortunately also in terms of quality, setting in motion the very mechanism that had generated success in the first place. Just to give you an idea, consider that already at the beginning of the 20th century our movement had been operating on the international market. I'm thinking here of the import of Signorino, an exceptional stallion for those years in Italy, or of the first amazing acquisitions of the Senator that bore fruit in the twenties.
However, from the end of the 1920s until the beginning of the war, our Turf was wonderfully international with its indigenous production that I mentioned earlier, as well as for the post-war period. We have a great history, certainly behind us, which in the 70s and in the full Mercurian context, proved to be exceptional, creating a splendid race for emulation. Let's consider the great successes obtained by Luca Cumani as a trainer in Newmarket or by

Gianfranco Dettori and then his son, the giant Lanfranco. 
Here too, he opened a path that is now well travelled by our operators, with success. The providential events at the Stud Farm allowed for the excellent years of the ‘90s and the first decade of 2000, the names are well known to all because they are current, if you want to include those made before and not exhaustive, everyone can add many others. In my opinion, this is the way that can revive our patterns and make them regain their ancient important rating. Without forgetting, of course, all the fundamental issues that Franco Castelfranchi has called us all to reflect on and debate (they are well listed in the interview on La Grande Ippica Italiana). Calmly and with a constructive spirit... We will get excited again!"
Mario Berardelli