Reynier weighing up Italian and German options for Skalleti

Molly Hunter
October 18, 2021 12:31 pm

Grey bypassed Champion Stakes as connections seek testing conditions.

Skalleti will search for a Group prize in either Italy or Germany after sidestepping the Qipco Champion Stakes due to a lack of rain at Ascot.

The grey had spent his season building up to the race after finishing second last year, when he came home two and a quarter lengths behind Addeybb on soft going.

Since then he has been victorious in four Group races, including both the Prix d’Ispahan and the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis at the top level.

Soft conditions were pivotal to the gelding’s participation in the Ascot showpiece this year, but the Group One Grosser Preis von Bayern could now be his final assignment for the season, with a bid for a second Premio Roma also under consideration.

Skaletti won the latter race in 2019 when journeying from France to Capannelle racecourse in Rome, but ground conditions will determine whether or not he returns to reclaim his title or heads instead to Munich for the Grosser Preis von Bayern.

“We were waiting until the last minute, but unfortunately the weather forecast was not for Skalleti this year,” trainer Jerome Reynier said.

“He’s got two options, one in Germany for the Group One over a mile and a half, and one in Italy – he won the Premio Roma two years ago so he could go back there and try to win that race one more time.

“I think Germany would be the best option with the weather but Italy will be a weaker race, we will try to end the season with a victory for him.

“He’s won 10 (stakes races) already and we’re very happy with him. We just want to run him right and we don’t want to do the wrong thing like we did in Hong Kong last year (seventh on good ground in the Hong Kong Cup).

“We’ll make sure everything is perfect for him.”