Palio di Siena on 2 July, 6 horses making their debut and 10 districts competing. Who is the favorite?

Great anticipation for the traditional Palio on July 2nd in the city of Siena: there are also six horses in the race that have never raced. Why the Goose is favored and where to watch the event on TV

BOLOGNA – There is great anticipation in Siena for this evening’s Palio. The appointment with the exit of the horses from the Cortile del Podestà is scheduled for 7.30 pm. The live broadcast will be broadcast by La7. There are a total of 10 districts in the race. The districts of Valdimontone, Pantera, Bruco, Leocorno, Lupa, Civetta and Oca were running by right: three were added to these, with a draw that took place on Sunday: Giraffe, Nicchio and Onda. six debuting horses are also taking part in tonight’s race, making their debut on the tuff of Piazza del Campo in Siena.

THE PALIO OF 2 JULY AND THE ONE OF 16 AUGUST

Tonight’s is the first of the two events that traditionally characterize the city of Siena: on July 2nd, that is today, the Palio di Provenzano (i.e. of the Madonna of Provenzano) takes place, while the The Palio dell’Assunta takes place on 16 August. Both events attract thousands of tourists and enthusiasts, ‘bewitched’ by the charm of the 17 city districts and the centuries-old history of this competition.

THE START OF THE RACE AND THE VICTORY

The starting line is made up of the so-called “Mossa”, made up of two ropes inside which 10 competing districts are placed, according to the order established by the draw. The horse that completes three laps first wins the race, with or without a jockey in the saddle. If the horse arrives without a jockey, it is said that the “shaken horse” wins.

LE COPPIE CONTRADE – HORSES

These are the pairings between horses and districts decided by draw:

Brivido Sardo for the Contrada del Bruco (ear number 10, thigh number 34), debutant
Ungaros for the Contrada Valdimontone (ear number 2, thigh number 16), ran the Palio
Criptha twice for the Contrada della Civetta (ear number 3, thigh number 17), rookie
Viso d’Angelo for the Contrada della Pantera (ear number 6, thigh number 23), ran the Palio three times
Veranu for the Contrada dell’Oca (ear number 1, thigh number 10), once ran the Palio
Zenios for the Contrada della Lupa (ear number 9, thigh number 32), rookie
Akida for the Contrada del Nicchio (ear number 4, thigh number 18), debutant
Ares Elce for the Contrada del Leocorno (ear number 7 , thigh number 29), rookie
Tobacco for the Contrada dell’Onda (ear number 8, thigh number 31), ran the Palio six times
Ardeglina for the Contrada della Giraffa (ear number 5, thigh number 20), debutant

 JOCKEYS AND CONTRADE

Carlo Sanna – Onda
Giovanni Atzeni – Oca
Jonathan Bartoletti -Valdimontone
Enrico Bruschelli – Pantera
Andrea Coghe – Lupa
Sebastiano Murtas – Leocorno
Federico Guglielmi – Civetta< br>Elias Mannucci – Nicchio
Mattia Chiavassa – Caterpillar
Gabriele Puligheddu – Giraffe

THE FAVORITES

Among the favorite districts is Oca. Not only is it the one that has accumulated the greatest number of victories ever (63), but it is also the one to which fate has matched the jockey Giovanni Atzeni, known as Tittìa, among the best ever in the last years. He won both palios in 2013, 2019, 2022 and won last year’s July palio. The dress rehearsal was won by Nicchio with his horse shaken.

TODAY’S PROGRAM

At 7.45 there was the Jockey’s Mass (officiated by His Eminence the Cardinal and Archbishop Augusto Paolo Lojudice in the external chapel of the Palazzo Pubblico), while at 9 the horses are scheduled to leave the Cortile del Podestà, with notice at 8.20 am and clearing of the track at 8.40 am, for Provaccia.

At 3.30pm and 4pm the firecracker shots were fired for the first and second warning, then at 4.40pm the clearing of the runway began to allow the parade of the Carabinieri squad at 5.15pm on horseback. Then at 5.20 pm the Historical Procession enters Piazza del Campo. At 7.30 pm the horses leave the Cortile del Podestà for the Palio. The last access to Piazza del Campo from via Duprè is closed at 6.15 pm.

THE VICTORIES IN HISTORY

Here is the number of victories accumulated by each district: Oca 63; Snail 49; Tartuca 47 and a half (he won a Palio with Onda); Niche 45; Onda 44 e mezzo (a prize won with Tartuca); Valdimontone 43; Tower 41; Selva 39; Dragon 38; Porcupine 38; Lupa 37; Giraffe 35; Caterpillar 33; Civetta 33; Leocorno 28; Panther 25; Eagle 24.