Mystery and the driver Romolo Ossani – from:vendopuledri.it
Article by Giovanni Manenti
Opened in 1920, the Prix d’Amerique trot – which the French “cousins” with their inherent chauvinism define as “The World Trotting Championship” – takes place at the Parisian racecourse of Vincennes on the last Sunday of January over a distance of 2700 metres…
Until the outbreak of the Second World War – which led to the cancellation of the 1940 and 1941 editions – it was mainly home-grown horses that established themselves, with two consecutive victories, first Pro Patria in the inaugural two-year period 1920-’21 and then Passeport, capable of doing the same in 1923-’24, before it was his turn Uranie – which we have already discussed – achieve a trio of successes (1926-’28) consecutive.
Furthermore, the Italian stables also try with some success to try to counteract the native supremacy, which in the 1930s achieved six victories out of nine editionsstarting from Hazleton who prevailed in the two-year period 1931-’32which is followed by the statements of Muscleton (1935 and 1937), then moving on to De Sota crossed the finish line first in the following two years before the suspension due to war events…
The problem with the reported trotters is that, despite belonging to Scuderie del Bel Paese, none of them are Italian at birthso that to witness a first victory of a horse produced by our breeding it was necessary to wait until 1947.
While Italy is about to go to war, just ad early January 1940, at the kennel of Count Orsi Mangelli, Mistero was born from Prince Hall and Naomi Guydestined to make the history of the Blue Trotto, who demonstrated his excellent qualities when, at the age of two, he made his debut, establishing himself in one of the two races in which he participated, while in 1943 he achieved his first prestigious success in the Derby ‘Italy with a time of 1’24″9 per kilometre…
Unfortunately for him, and the famous driver Ugo Bottoni, the tragic war events slowed down his activity in the following two years, with the indigenous champion only able to perform in Rome at the Villa Glori Hippodrome, which is why Mistero’s international career can only begin in 1946 and end two years later, having in the meantime imposed in 1945 in Bologna in the Breda Foundation Award on the pace of 1’24”7 per kilometre.
Regardless of the “French glory”, there is no doubt that for Trotting the victory at the Prix d’Amerique is comparable to an Olympic Gold Medal in other Disciplines like a success at Wimbledon for a tennis player, the fact is that the Parisian debut of the Mistero/Bottoni duo took place at the end of January 1946, period in which two of his sons, Bayard and Mandorlo, born in 1942 were already on the slopes…
A more unusual than rare case, that of a horse still active when its descendants compete, despite having clarified how this longevity depends largely on the long period of low activity and, in any case, Bottoni is sure he has good chances to play on the Enghien trackgiven that Vincennes was currently being used as a depot for military aircraft to be scrapped.
The high number of starters forces the organizers to run two heats, in order to reduce the number of competitors and, at the end of the first, Mistero ranked second, overtaken in the home straight by Quick Williamsable to make his most incisive shot count…
However, a placing that leads to Bottoni’s optimism even more when the horses are at the start of the race decisive match, postponed to Sunday 3 February 1946except that, annoyed by the heavy ground, Mystery is the victim of a breakup right from the startan accident which was remedied by the very skilled driver, allowing him to recover several positions, but just as we expected the decisive starting point, here he breaks again finishing fifth in the race won by Ovidius Naso with a time of 1’24”3 per kilometre.
Bottoni’s failed undertaking succeeds the following year to Romolo Ossani who sits on the sulky on Sunday 19 January 1947, with the race still taking place at the Enghien Racecourse and which this time holds no surprises, even though it is held on a cold and foggy winter day which does not favor good times, but what matters is being ahead of everyone at the finish line, which Mystery dutifully completes, preceding Quick Starwho had placed third the previous season, following an exciting progression on the outside…
A success that certainly does not remain an end in itself, given that, now at ease on the transalpine slopes, in the same year Mistero wins the Prix La Haye and the Prix d’Europe, recording excellent times of 1’22”9 and 1’22”2 per kilometre.
As if it were a good wine that improves as it ages, in its last season of activity, at eight years old, Mistero manages to establish in two stages the record for indigenous horses, first setting itself in Milan at 1’19”2 and then doing even better with 1’18”8 per kilometer recorded in Ponte di Brenta…
But he certainly couldn’t go to the race without leaving a “last memory” on French soil, where he gathers others two prestigious affirmations in the Prix de Paris and Prix de Copenhagenbefore saying goodbye to the slopes and confirming himself as an excellent stallion too –
And, like the career of an athlete, in the end the numbers count, which for Mistero say 95 successes and 28 placings in the 131 races held, as well as having accumulated prizes of over 20 million Lire and 2.5 million French francssuch as to include it in the “Gotha” of Italian trotters, alongside Tornese, Crevalcore, Delfo and, obviously, of the “legendary”Varenne…
Whoever has anything against it, speak now or remain silent forever…!!
2024-05-31 18:14:48
#TRIUMPH #MYSTERY #PRIX #DAMERIQUE #ITALIAN #STATEMENT #SportHistoria
