Godolphin claimed their second consecutive £148,000 plus Derby Italiano (12f) as Mukhalif mastered Michael Stoute's Iscan in Rome yesterday. Frankie Dettori, winning the Italian classic for the first time, kicked Mukhalif into the lead 300 yards out and the combination ran on well for a length and a half success on a fast track.
The winner, paying a compliment to the Derby chances of Beat All, should the latter make Epsom, was a 5 to 4 on chance on the Tote.
The first and second were coupled as Sheikh Mohammed owns both horses.
Aidan O'Brien's Yeoman's Point, with Mick Kinane, was never a factor in seventh, while Lightning Arrow and Bombard fared worse in 11th and last of 13 respectively.
Olivier Peslier, riding local hope Antoniocastiglione, was fined three million lire (almost £1,100) for hampering Best Grey. The stewards decided against a ban but demoted his mount from third to fourth accordingly.
Jessica Harrington's Space Trucker had to settle for fifth to Direcion in the Milanese Champion Hurdle, the Corsa Siepi di Milano (2 1/2m). The Irish raider looked magnificent in the paddock but he complicated his task by jumping too big.
Harrington's Have Merci was well beaten in the local equivalent of the Triumph Hurdle, the Corsa Siepi dei Quattro Anni (2m 2f), on the same card.
At Auteuil in France, French Holly, the Ferdy Murphy hurdler, made light of the mud by showing his class in the £43,000 plus Prix la Barka (2m 5 1/2f) yesterday. Andrew Thornton's mount booked his passage for the French Champion Hurdle on June 19th by coming from off the pace to beat Kimbi by three lengths.
Three horses jumped together coming to the last, but French Holly asserted his authority on the run-in to win cosily.
Thornton said: "French Holly liked the course and the holding ground. He jumped superbly although the long run-in seemed to take an eternity."
Martin Pipe's Galant Moss, with Tony McCoy, was beaten over 17 lengths into sixth.
In Germany, Docksider, owned and trained by John Hills, romped home by six lengths in the £27,076 Group Three Laurent Perrier Meile at Baden Baden. John Egan enjoyed a profitable afternoon on the same card where he was on the mark with Lemon Tree and Brian Meehan's Emma Peel.
Emma Peel (3 to 1) was awarded the £15,162 Listed Scherping Rennen (6f) following the demotion of Super Lover from first to fourth.
And in America, Philip Mitchell's Running Stag ran a blinder to finish a close second in the $600,000 Grade Two Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs on Saturday.
