Giavellotto primed for Baden-Baden while Ascot remains in spotlight
Marco Botti has reported that Giavellotto is in excellent order as the globetrotting seven-year-old heads to Germany for the Grosser Preis von Baden next weekend. The Newmarket trainer, who opted to bypass the Arc, said the horse came through a racecourse gallop on the July course smoothly and is on course for the mile-and-a-half Group One assignment at Baden-Baden.
Giavellotto will carry strong recent form into the contest. The entire finished fourth in the Arc last season and has since added Group One and pattern-level success to his record, most notably in the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin and the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he beat the subsequent King George heroine by a short head. Botti confirmed the plan is for Oisin Murphy — who has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with the horse — to resume the ride, though a final confirmation was still awaited.
While Botti remains confident in Giavellotto’s readiness, he underlined one caveat: the going. He said the horse would prefer the underfoot conditions not to be too soft and that connections were monitoring the weather ahead of the Baden-Baden trip. If all goes to plan, the Group One in Germany will be the next step before considering end-of-season targets such as the Breeders’ Cup or a return to Hong Kong.
Oisin Murphy and a lucrative association
Murphy’s recent association with Giavellotto has yielded considerable success. The pair have combined for multiple victories, including high-profile wins overseas and at Royal Ascot, and have accumulated significant prize-money together. Botti indicated that the jockey knows the horse well and is the intended rider, subject to confirmation.
Prince Of India to focus on six furlongs with Ascot in mind
Botti also reported on Prince Of India after the four-year-old captured the Listed Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket, delivering a career-first pattern-level success after several close calls in top contests. The win, at six furlongs, has persuaded the trainer to concentrate on sprinting distances rather than stretching the gelding out in trip.
Prince Of India had previously given a solid account over seven furlongs when runner-up in the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury, but Botti said the Newmarket success confirmed the colt’s affinity for six furlongs. He was subsequently taken out of a seven-furlong engagement at Doncaster as connections recalibrated his programme.
Botti described the Listed victory as a useful fillip for the horse’s confidence and reiterated his view that Prince Of India is a Group-class performer. He cited a number of near-misses in big sprints earlier in the season, including traffic issues in a major July Cup, where a lack of a clear run arguably curtailed his chance.
Champions Day and the Bengough among targets
With sprinting as the declared route, Botti confirmed plans to aim Prince Of India at Ascot later in the season. The horse is entered on Champions Day and is also on the list for the Group Three Bengough Stakes at Ascot in early October. As with Giavellotto, the state of the ground will be a factor in final decisions — Prince Of India is unlikely to want much give underfoot.
Festival and international implications
The outcomes of these campaigns carry particular resonance for the UK festival calendar and Ascot’s autumn programme. Giavellotto’s trip to Baden-Baden will be watched closely given his form on the big stage, while Prince Of India’s declared sprinting route keeps him firmly in contention for the major end-of-season sprint features at Ascot.
Botti’s stable, which has enjoyed success at Newmarket and Royal Ascot this season, will be balancing international ambitions with the domestic festival targets that matter to racegoers and racecourse planners. For racegoers, the prospect of both horses featuring at prominent fixtures — whether overseas or back at Ascot — adds an interesting late-season subplot to the Flat calendar.
Looking ahead: Giavellotto heads to Baden-Baden next weekend with Oisin Murphy expected to ride, while Prince Of India will stick to six furlongs with Ascot’s Champions Day and the Bengough Stakes under consideration, conditions permitting.
