Lazio scores at San Siro as part of a Make Believe double

Ballylinch Stud's Make Believe had a quite extraordinary afternoon in Milan on Sunday as he sired the winners of Italy's most prestigious pair of two-year-old races.

His brace began as Klaynn narrowly retained her unbeaten record in the Group 2 Premio Dormello, a mile event for juvenile fillies. Bred by Allevamento Le Gi and racing for Sandro Cardaioli, she is a daughter of four-time Italian winner Dweezil, by Rip Van Winkle.

That was a ninth individual Group winner for Make Believe and his tenth came hot in Klaynn's heels in the colts' race, the Premio Gran Criterium.

Lazio, who had also won his first two starts including a Listed race at Hanover, powered some eight lengths clear to take the prize back to Germany for trainer Waldemar Hickst. He had picked the Roland Lerner-bred colt up for €30,000 at last year's BBAG September Yearling Sale.

He descends from La Colorada, a champion German juvenile filly in 1983, and is a half-brother of Lordship. He was a progressive handicapper for William Haggas last season who sold for 160,000gns to Australian interests at Tattersalls, while another sibling, La La Land, placed in Listed races in Germany.

Make Believe, the dual Classic winner in France, is chiefly the sire of globetrotting money-earner Mishriff and was standing for €10,000 this year.

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