Andrea Azteni booked for Giavellotto Arc tilt

Two Italians will team up in an attempt to win France’s most prestigious race with Andrea Atzeni booked for Marco Botti’s Giavellotto in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Hong Kong-based Atzeni won the 2023 Yorkshire Cup on the six-year-old who beat Kalpana in the September Stakes last time out.

“He is a horse I’ve known from back home and I won a Group Two on him,” Atzeni told the South China Morning Post. “I’ve ridden him a few times and it looks like he’s going to race on good ground, which is why they’ve taken the chance.

“By chance we race on the Saturday (in Hong Kong), so I’m able to be there for the Sunday, so it has worked out perfectly.

“It’s a quick turnaround but it’s fine, we’re all used to it. I’ll ride here Saturday, get on the plane and arrive in Paris really early in the morning on Sunday, so it really is perfect.

“He is a good horse, he was very impressive here in the (Hong Kong) Vase and he won the September Stakes the other day at Kempton, beating Kalpana, who is well fancied for the Arc.

“It’s a pretty open Arc and it’s nice to hopefully be there. I think the declarations are on Tuesday, so getting spare rides will be tough, but I’d have gone there for Giavellotto alone, so that doesn’t bother me.”