Italian Racing Preview: Foreigners try to turn heads in Milan

Nova Hawk (second right) finished fourth in last year's 1000 Guineas
Timeform's International Editor Chris Williams takes a look at the two Group races in Italy on Sunday.
There are two pattern races at Milan on Sunday, the Group 1 Premio Vittorio di Capua (15:55) and the Group 3 Premio Sergio Cumani (15:20), both over a mile.
Unusually, there are no contenders from Britain or Ireland for either race, and, as a result, the Vittorio di Capua is quite a tightly-knit contest featuring three from German and two from France as well as the home-trained Silent Killer and Storming Loose.
Silent Killer has been in excellent form this year and has won his last five races, including listed races at Rome and Milan, but he only just held off Bu Naaji in a minor event at Milan on his return from an extended summer break earlier this month.
Storming Loose has two wins to his credit this year, both in handicap company, and he ran well when second to Branderburgo in a listed race at Milan in July. However, he was below his best when third to My Old Husband in a minor event on the same course last time.
Several of the foreign raiders can boast better form, though, including Amaron, who won the Group 3 Dr Busch-Memorial at Krefeld in the spring before finishing a good fourth in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp. He has been below that form in two subsequent efforts, though, against older horses at Baden-Baden last time.
Malossol, trained by Giuseppe Botti in France, has already made two successful Italian raids, winning a listed race at Milan and the Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) at Rome, where he beat Vedelago by a short head, but he was last of eight in the Prix Paul de Moussac at Chantilly in June, and hasn't raced since.
Amarillo has been in the frame in four pattern races since winning a listed race at Dusseldorf in April and was one place ahead of Amaron when fourth to Highland Knight in the Oettingen-Rennen at Baden-Baden last time.
King Air won two handicaps towards the end of 2011 and was a good third to Fractional in the Prix Quincey at Deauville on his latest outing, his first in pattern company, while Monami, the only filly in Sunday's field, was disqualified on a technicality after passing the post first in the Group 2 Diana-Trial at Hoppegarten in May, but was some way below that form in the Preis der Diana itself and now reverts back in trip from eleven furlongs.
Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, Premio Vittorio di Capua:
126 Malossol
126 Amaron
124 Amarillo
121 Silent Killer
121 King Air
120 Monami
119 Storming Loose
In the Premio Sergio Cumani, the Italian-trained trio of Cool Wave, Killachy Loose and Paris To Peking look to face a stiffish task in keeping the prize at home. While all three have won in listed company this year, their form doesn't match up with the best of the foreign raiders. France is represented by Nova Hawk and Sunday Nectar, while Cherry Danon and Samba Brazil hail from German stables.
Nova Hawk is still best remembered, by British racegoers at least, for finishing fourth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and second in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last year but looked to be coming back to her best when beating Havant by an easy two and a half lengths in a minor event at Fontainebleau last time, leading on the bridle and quickening clear.
Cherry Danon was beaten a short head in the German 1000 Guineas before being successful in a Group 3 race at Hamburg in June, but has since been well below her best in the Prix de Lieurey at Deauville.
Samba Brazil was stepped back down in trip (to nine furlongs) to win a listed race at Baden-Baden earlier this month, keeping to the centre of the track as the remainder came up the near side. Sunday Nectar, who won in similar company at Milan in June, was last seen at Goodwood, finishing second to Regal Realm in a below-par Oak Tree Stakes, doing much the best of those who raced close to the pace.
Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, Premio Sergio Cumani:
125 Nova Hawk
124 Cherry Danon
119 Samba Brazil
118 Sunday Nectar
117 Cool Wave
115 Killachy Loose
115 Paris To Peking