Siena, Palio di Provenzano: wave surprise winner
With two days delay, the Provenzano Palio knows its winner.
Wave in celebration in Siena, thanks to an unexpected victory in a Palio di Provenzano that had been delayed for two days. Scheduled as per tradition for July 2, its contest è was in fact postponed for two days because of rain that had fallen in Piazza del Campo. For the Contrada Capitana di Malborghetto heroes became the horse Tabacco, at his first victory in the competition after seven participations, and the jockey Carlo Sanna known as Brigante, for whom instead è the third time.
Despite the long wait, the wait for the move proves to be long even on July 4. Those who thought it would be slowed down by the two pairs of rival contrade placed at the canapi next to each other (Montone and Nicchio at 2 and 3, Civetta and Leocorno at 5 and 6), however, were wrong. In fact, the horses turn out to be extremely orderly, and if anything è the Lupa in the run-up (or to be precise its jockey, Andrea Coghe aka Tempesta) to tergiversate more than normal.
After two unsuccessful moves (particularly the first one seemed like it could be judged valid), when the Palio begins every prediction is immediately subverted. The Panther, in position 1 with Enrico Bruschelli known as Bellocchio (son of the legendary Trecciolino), actually obstructs the passage of the three horses following him. This disfavors Montone (among the favorites for the Palio di Provenzano 2024), Nicchio and Giraffa. On the other hand, Oca, Leocorno, Onda and Bruco, that is, those who started from sixth to ninth place, take advantage.
Flying towards victory seems to be the Oca, which byò halfway through the Palio suffers from the Onda the overtaking that will prove decisive. At the second bend of San Martino also comes the ruinous fall of Montone, at that moment fourth after a desperate attempt at a comeback. Together with the horse Ungaros and the experienced jockey Jonatan Bartoletti known as Scompiglio, Pantera and Nicchio also fall. Only Oca could contend for success with Onda, but Tabacco and Brigante resist taking the victory. Five horses cross the finish line shaken, three jockeys leave the field on stretchers after their respective falls.
For Carlo Sanna è as mentioned, it was the third career victory at the Palio di Siena, the second in a row (the Palio dell'Assunta 2023 went just to the Goose, although the horse Zio Frac arrived at the finish line shaken). The first came in the 2017 Palio dell'Assunta always with the Wave. And it was since then that the contrada recognizable by its white and light blue colors had not imposed itself at the Campo.
