AXXOS GETS INTERESTING FOR PREMIO PRESIDENTE DELLA REPUBLICA

AXXOS (28) won a red hot renewal of the Group 3 Premio Ambrosiano at San Siro in very similar style to the way he won Germany's big Derby trial, the Group 2 Oppenheim Union-Rennen, last year. He set a slow pace and gradually wound it up from half a mile out.

The third Selmis (25) and then last year's Italian Guineas winner GOLDEN TITUS (28) both tried to challenge him up the straight. But Axxos kept moving strongly and was beginning to go away again as they neared the line, winning by half a length a bit cheekily with something in hand.

Axxos is a close coupled, stocky, strong sort who was having his seasonal debut here. The way he kept moving so well and drew away from the third so quickly as Golden Titus challenged him was impressive. It suggests to me that, like many German horses, he has improved with age.

Axxos has been very consistent and already run second in a Group 1 (to Zambezi Sun). I'd say he has a fine chance of scoring his first win at the top level in the Premio Presidente Della Republica on May 18th at the Cappannelle.

This was the first time Golden Titus had gone beyond a mile. And you could argue that he didn't prove he gets ten furlongs here because the early pace was slow. But his physique plus the determined way he challenged for so long convinces me that he can do the distance.

Golden Titus has a daisy-cutting stride and must have fast ground. Here the going was actually only just on the fast side of good. So he may well improve when he runs on genuinely firm ground later on. He's certainly a useful horse when he gets his surface. In fact this was his first defeat in six tries on good or faster going below Group 1 class. He's placed three times in Group 1 company and looks a big threat to score at the top level sometime this season.

SENLIS HAS A SHOT IN FRENCH 2000 GUINEAS

SENLIS (38) clocked a very decent time when winning the Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas). He actually ran 1.1 seconds closer to my standard time than the next two fastest races around the turn - and they were both Listed races.

Held up in sixth place off the kamikaze pair Remarque and Calciobalilla who were going too fast in front, he came through to lead just before the furlong pole. At that point he produced a tremendous burst to quickly go just over three lengths clear before keeping on well to hold the strong finishing runner up EUSTACHIONE (36).

Senlis had only finished second to the smart Farrel in the big prep race but reversed form with that one comprehensively here. Still a bit leggy and immature, Senlis has a fast ground action and almost certainly needs a quick surface, having run below form the only time he tried soft. He's only had four runs, winning two and running second to the horse previously considered the top Italian three year old in his only loss besides that soft ground defeat.

This was a classy looking performance by Senlis. I'm going to consider him carefully if he takes up his engagement in the French 2000 Guineas.

PROJECT DANE NEEDS MORE THAN A MILE

PROJECT DANE (38) ran a fair sixth in a big field in last year's Italian 2000 Guineas. But it look like he's best over just a bit further. He won a good conditions race over eight and a half furlongs at the Chappannelle last week in much the fastest time of the day. He beat the thirteen time winner Miles Gloriosus (36) two and a half lengths into second. That one has won three Listed races and run second in a Group 2.

Project Dane has now run three times over eight and a half or nine furlongs and won every single time. He's lost all but his racecourse debut the eleven times he's gone shorter or longer. But it does look like he stays longer than nine furlongs as he's placed several times against good company at such trips. I think he's simply improved markedly from three to four and should be winning a Listed or Group 3 soon.