Giavellotto team leave door open for Hong Kong trip

Marco Botti is giving some thought to running Giavellotto in the Hong Kong Vase.

Seen predominantly as a horse for staying trips prior to this season, he showed he had the pace to compete at a high level over a mile and a half when following up his Yorkshire Cup success with victory in the the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket in July.

The five-year-old’s campaign was built around the Irish St Leger at the Curragh, but with subsequent Irish Cesarewitch winner The Euphrates setting a strong pace, Giavellotto could never land a blow on Kyprios, finishing third.

Botti was initially minded to draw stumps for the year after his Irish Champions Festival appearance, but a possible trip to the Far East in December has not been ruled out.

“We’re discussing things with the owners, he has one more option which is the Hong Kong Vase over a mile and a half,” said the Newmarket-based Italian.

“The race isn’t until December so we thought let’s just freshen him up and give it a bit more thought.

“It all depends what the owners want to do next year because if they want to go to Dubai, he’ll be finishing the season too late if he goes to Hong Kong because he’ll need a break, but if they decide not to go to Dubai then potentially he could go to Hong Kong.”

Reflecting on his Irish St Leger performance, Botti added: “He ran OK, but it was a very strong pace and the horse who set it won the Irish Cesarewitch.

“Probably that race didn’t quite suit him. I’m not saying he would have won anyway, but a mile and a half could really suit him in Hong Kong.

“In the spring there’s nothing for him until May if we go back to York for the race he won this year.”