Botti working backwards from Hong Kong with Giavellotto

Giavellotto has his sights set on a return to Hong Kong this winter following his brilliant Hardwicke Stakes victory at Royal Ascot.

Marco Botti’s stable star picked up the sixth Group success of his career when holding off market leader Kalpana by a short head during their fascinating battle in Berkshire.

Botti admitted he will be working back from the Hong Kong Vase in December, which Giavellotto won in 2024, with the seven-year-old potentially adding another stop in Europe ahead of his Asian adventure.

“It’s been great, I thought it was one of his best performances,” the Italian handler said. “Obviously it was a really tough race and Oisin (Murphy) gave him a good ride.

“It was a good field and I think he’s proven he’s as good as anyone else in the race. He’s come out of the race fine, he’s a tough horse.

“Even in the previous run before Ascot, his form had been really consistent in the Arc, Hong Kong, Qatar and Dubai for a horse that didn’t have a proper break. He ran in October in the Arc and then Hong Kong was in December, Qatar in February and Dubai in March, you have to find a really tough horse to do that.”

The son of Mastercraftsman began his career as a 100-1 all-weather winner at Kempton in December 2021 and has risen through the ranks to become an elite stayer over a mile and a half.

“We always had faith, even as a three-year-old when we went from a handicapper jumping to the St Leger, we obviously had faith in the horse,” Botti added. “At that stage, he showed on the track that he was a proper stayer, a mile and six (furlongs) and he needed a trip to be competitive at that level.

“But as he’s got older, he’s stronger and faster than he used to be because he’s shown a turn of foot which as a three-year-old he wouldn’t have done.

“We’ve looked after the horse and given him plenty of time to mature, but now it is paying off. He’s an incredible horse, we’ve been everywhere with him and he just keeps pulling out the good performances.”

A six-month break before the Hong Kong Vase does not sit well with Botti, who has his eye on either the Grosser Preis von Berlin or Grosser Preis von Baden for his superstar.

“He wasn’t entered in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes because even though usually it’s not a big field, Calandagan and the Derby winner (Christmas Day) and those sort of horses are in, so we thought maybe we should just leave that,” the Prestige Place trainer said.

“We already said that Hong Kong would be the priority and that remains our main target, but it’s in December so we are trying to work back from there.

“He has a couple of entries in Germany, the Group One in August – the race Rebel’s Romance won last year – so that could be an option and Baden-Baden in early September could be another option.

“Unless we then go to Canada, which is in October, and then Hong Kong, we said to the owners let’s wait to make the final decision.

“Maybe a Group One in Germany could be attractive and could add to his profile as a Group One winner in Europe as well, and that is where we might aim at.”