Eleven were declared to run this morning, in the Big Race on Sunday September 29th. This number includes one of the two supplemented horses from France, and the international participation is the usual mix of four countries - France, Germany, the Czech Republic and of course Italy. 

In terms of (actual) ownership, a fifth country, Austria is also represented. GARYNELLA runs in the Italian colours (S.C. Magog Sas) of Herr and Frau Ambruschitz, a well-known couple of  Austrian turf enthusiasts. 

Conversely, both the horses trained by Josef Vana (ALPHA TWO and IMPREZER) run in the nominal Czech colours of Staj Evi, the name used by Italian owner Signor Orfeo Bottura and his wife Evi. 

Rumors and expectations until this morning were that three horses from France, and not just a single one, would be declared to run. It was therefore disappointing to find out that, in the end, Patric Quinton did not declare Taupin Rochelais or Grand Charly. Grand Charly had been supplemented,like LUKY D'ANJOU, which is trained by F.M. Cottin and owned by Mr. Clement Machado.

It was not so taken for granted that Cestmir Olehla would declare Jiri Charvat's DEMON MAGIC to run, as he did. The inclusion of German-trained ALANCO among the runners had been widely anticipated.

On the Italian side (6 contestants out of 11), trainer Paolo Favero declared five horses to run. He is the Italian champion jumps trainer, and he also has far more jumpers in his yard than any other Italian trainer. 

From this point of view, this year's Gran Premio perfectly reflects the situation of absolute dominance of one trainer  that Italian jumps racing has been experiencing for some years. As a matter of fact, the only other Italian trainer that has dared to challenge Paolo Favero's hopes of winning Merano 2013 is Franco Contu. His  MASTER SILVIA  is the only mare in the field, this year; and she and ZIANABAA are the only 5-y-os. and thus the youngest.

No doubt, however, the withdrawal of all French contestants but one was essential in determining Paolo Favero to declare as many as five horses to run this morning.

Both Favero and Contu are Merano-based; and it is a fact worth noting that these two trainers - and the Merano Maia racecourse with them - account almost all of jumps racing in Italy at this time of the year (though both Rome and Pisa racecourses put on jumps races in winter and have a number of jumps trainers). 

                                      age            owner                      trainer                   jockey

1   ALANCO                   12        Stall Steintor         Seiler O.W.      Chevin Chan    

2   ALPHA  TWO             6         Staj Evi                Vana J. Sr.         Vana J. Jr.

3   DAR  SAID                 7         Favero P.              Favero P.           Bartos J. 

4   DEMON  MAGIC        7         Charvat Jiri          Olehla C.           Myska J.

5   FROLON                    6         Australia Srl          Favero P.           Romano R.

6   GARYNELLA             6         S.C. Magog Sas     Favero P.          Cottin David

7   IMPREZER                 7        Staj Evi                   Vana J.              Fuhrmann D.        

8   KAMIKAZE DE TEILLE 7     D'Altemps Srl       Favero P.          Pastuska D. 

9   LUKY  D'ANJOU         6       Machado Clement   Cottin F.M.       Nabet S.

10 MASTER  SILVIA        5       Sc. Siba                   Contu F.           Mastain S.

11 ZIANABAA                  5       Sc. Ostanel              Favero P.         Dupuis Sylvain   

 Weights: 67 1/2  kg all  

The Vana-trained, Bottura-owned duo are favoured by the public and by the experts. IMPREZER finished 2nd last year, and ALPHA TWO was 4th. They are both winners of the trial races (IMPREZER of Premio ASSI -ex UNIRE; ALPHA TWO of Premio Crème Anglaise). They also both have top  jockeys (Vana Jr. and Dirk Fuhrmann, respectively). Add to this the experience of Vana Snr. as trainer, and Vana’s own and the (Italian) ownership's strong, strong determination to win the Gran Premio, after a number of unsuccessful attempts. No other horse seems to possess as strong credentials as the Vana duo.

FROLON, trainer Favero's most serious contestant, convincingly won the Gran Steeple Chase d'Europa in June and the Gran Corsa Siepi in mid September. Having Italian champion jockey Raffaele Romano in the saddle is an obvious plus.

The other four horses trained by Paolo Favero, can boast less impressive racing careers.  DAR SAID will benefit from being ridden by expert jockey Josef Bartos, but he has never before run over 5000 m. Little is known of KAMIKAZE DE TEILLE, GARYNELLA and ZIANABAA, three recent purchases by Favero in France. GARYNELLA won some races at Clairefontaine (a course that shows some similarities with Merano Maia); and ZIANABAA has won at Pau and at Auteil.

As to the other horse in Italian colours: the Contu-trained mare MASTER SILVIA was moderately successful in 2012 and quite successful in winter in Pisa and Rome; however, she has won nothing since then.  

About LUKY D'ANJOU, the only possible comment is that his trainer Cottin is too experienced a trainer and too conversant with the Gran Premio course to have supplemented and declared to run a horse without sound chances.

12-y-o German-trained ALANCO is the oldest runner in this year's Merano. Chevin Chan, his jockey, rode quite impressively at Merano most recently. The horse's credentials are a  win this year, in the Grand Steeple Chase of Sweden and a fourth place in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Flandres.  

Last but not least, DEMON MAGIC. A win in a Spring race at Merano followed by unseating his rider at Wroclaw in Poland, could raise doubts as to whether DEMON MAGIC in 2013 is the same horse as the Demon Magic which finished third behind Rigoureux in this race last year. Nevertheless, Cestmir Olehla is the only Czech trainer to have won this race, with Kolorado and also with Masini.

(contributed by Giancarlo Fochesato)