Minardi (horse)

Minardi was sent to England for his racecourse debut and started 5/4 favourite for a six furlong maiden race at Ascot Racecourse on 29 July. He proved no match for the Paul Cole-trained Rumpold and finished second, beaten five lengths. Despite his defeat the colt was stepped up sharply in class for the Group One Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown Racecourse two weeks later. He had not been an intended runner in the race but took his place after his more highly regarded stablemate Freud was withdrawn. The filly Dora Carrington (winner of the Cherry Hinton Stakes) started 5/2 favourite with Minardi joint second choice in the betting on 7/2 alongside Superstar Leo. Kinane settled the colt in fourth as the outsider Longueville Legend set the pace before moving up to take the lead a furlong and a half from the finish. He accelerated clear of his rivals in the closing stages to win by five lengths from Superstar Leo despite being eased down by Kinane in the final strides.[5] The runner-up was later voted Cartier Champion Two-year-old Filly for 2000. His victory was described as "a stunning display" by the Racing Post.[6] After the race Aidan O'Brien commented "Ascot was a blip on Minardi's record. He'd always worked very well and we thought he would burn up the course. Minardi will now have a break before coming back for the Dewhurst and similar races.[7]

On 28 September Minardi was sent back to England for the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse and started the 5/6 favourite in a ten runner field. His principal rivals appeared to be Bad As I Wanna Be (Prix Morny), Endless Summer (Richmond Stakes) and Baaridd (Ripon Champion Two Years Old Trophy) whilst the other runners included Bannister (Gimcrack Stakes), Ghayth (third in the Champagne Stakes), Pomfret Lad (runner-up in the Mill Reef Stakes) and Bram Stoker (runner-up in the Coventry Stakes). Minardi started slowly and raced towards the rear of the field as the early pace was set by the outsiders Joplin and Red Carpet. The favourite made rapid progress to take the lead approaching the final furlong and stayed on to win by one and a half lengths and won by one and a half lengths from Endless Summer, with Red Carpet taking third ahead of Bad As I Wanna Be.[8] According to the Racing Post he "outclassed one of the most competitive Middle Park fields we've seen in recent years".[9] British bookmakers responded by making the colt favourite for the following year's 2000 Guineas[10] Endless Summer was later disqualified in unusual circumstances when it was revealed that he had been foaled prematurely on 27 December 1997: he was therefore technically a three-year-old and ineligible to contest the race.

It was expected that Minardi would end his season in the Dewhurst Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket but was ruled out of the race after showing signs of respiratory infection.[11]

In the official International Classification for 2000, Minardi was rated the best two-year-old colt in Europe.[12]

On his first appearance of the 2001 season, Minardi was sent to England again to contest the 2000 Guineas over Newmarket's Rowley Mile course on 5 May and started the 5/1 second favourite behind Tobougg in an eighteen-runner field. After being held up in the early stages he struggled to obtain a clear run in the final furlong before staying on to finish fourth behind Golan, Tamburlaine and Frenchmans Bay. Three weeks later he started 2/1 favourite for the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh but after taking second place in the straight he was unable to make further progress and finished third behind his stablemates Black Minnaloushe and Mozart.[13]

Minardi made little impact in three subsequent races starting with the St James's Palace Stakes in which he finished eighth behind Black Minnaloushe. He was then moved back to sprint distances and finished sixth in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and ninth in the Haydock Sprint Cup.