Rock takes third for Fallon and Stoute

Sir Michael Stoute`s Little Rock, with Kieren Fallon in the saddle, stayed on to finish third to Shibuni`s Falcon in the Group One Premio Roma in Rome today.

The Newmarket raider challenged on the outside but was never going to peg back the front-running Shibuni`s Falcon in the 10-furlong contest.

Shibuni`s Falcon had been generally disappointing this season, but the four-year-old returned to his best under an enterprising ride from Mario Esposito.

A top Italian three-year-old last term, Shibuni`s Falcon (129-10) was soon dictating the tempo on a heavy track and was never headed.

On a day when Italian stables won all three Group races, the blinkered Shibuni`s Falcon won by a cosy two and a half lengths.

Monos took second a length in front of Little Rock.

Giovane Imperatore, the Italian 2000 Guineas winner, landed the Group Two Premio Ribot over a mile, in which Mick Channon`s Imperial Dancer was fifth.

Giovane Imperatore (104-10) accounted for last year`s winner, Dane Friendly, by three-quarters of a length.

David Evans` Diamond Max (ninth), Mark Johnston`s Riberac (12th) and Barry Hills`s Toffee Nosed (16th), all failed to build on previous Listed wins.

Peter Makin`s Spencers Wood (Darryll Holland) was a disappointing 13th of 14 in the six-furlong Group Three Premio Umbria.

Nil, the veteran Italian sprinter, rolled back the years to post a three-quarters of a length win over the French raider, Gaelic Dream.

The winner paid 19.5-1 on the Italian Tote.

Earlier, Luca Cumani`s Bound By Law (Fernando Jovine) was touched off by Rentless in the opening Premio Honey, a seven-furlong contest for juvenile fillies.

Rentless (22-10), trained by Cumani`s former assistant Valfredo Valiani, got home by a neck.