Horse racing news: Botti freshening up Giavellotto for Hong Kong in new World Pool video series

In a new video series released by World Pool, Giavellotto: The Hong Kong Vase Hero, trainer Marco Botti, jockey Oisin Murphy, and head lad Andrew Morris discuss Giavellotto’s famous LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (G1) victory, what makes him different, his run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and how all roads now lead back to Sha Tin in December.

The first of three parts focuses on Giavellotto’s return from the Arc and the story building up to last year’s Hong Kong Vase victory, while episodes two and three will follow the horse’s training progression for this year’s race on Sunday 14 December.

‘I don’t think there’s a better place to have a winner’

Botti said: “Hong Kong is one of the places that I always wanted to have a winner, and the Hong Kong International Races is a fantastic meeting.

“I really enjoyed the day – I don’t think that there is a better place to have a winner. There was a great atmosphere at Sha Tin on the day.

“There is a lot of journalists and noise before the race, but there wasn’t much to say to Oisin beforehand. He knows the horse so well and it was a matter of doing what he was comfortable with during the race.”

Murphy said: “He [Giavellotto] was good at the start before the race and he broke nicely. I was always planning to follow; I had a beautiful trip round until the turn.

“At that point, some horses started to fall back into my lap and to be honest, by the time that we straightened up, I didn’t know if my race was over.

“I had to sit and wait for room, but what that gave me the opportunity to do was fill him up, and he was able to explode through the gap when he found the passage to win.”

Botti added: “The Hong Kong double would be fantastic. I try not to get carried away as I know that racing is tough and a lot of luck goes with it, but it’s exciting to have a plan and be returning there this year.”

Download length: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ywTi5tVLgK1UBgH3YZVAK47jd_dh0anA

Download cut downs: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aftkjy98E29VhfdrXb1oNBXUfHVgeqJB

‘Love at first sight’

Murphy said: “It was love at first sight for me and Giavellotto. I rode him in the Yorkshire Cup and I really got a tune out of him.

“He travelled into the race strongly – he has a real high cruising speed – and I tried not to press go too soon but he got me to the front, and we won with plenty to spare at the line. I really enjoyed it.

“He takes daily management, and the team have got him across the world multiple times in terrific form. He truly is a world-class mile-and-a-half horse.”

READ MORE: When is the 2025 Breeders’ Cup? How to watch and the key trainers and jockeys to follow

‘He’s come out of the Arc in great shape’

Botti said: “The Arc was a great experience. It was quite stressful beforehand when the forecast got worse, as Giavellotto is a horse whose form is best on faster ground.

“Luckily, he ran a great race finishing fourth and has come out of the race in great shape.

“As the gap between the Arc and Hong Kong is a couple of months, we have the opportunity to freshen him up. He’s race fit and we’ll just build up with some fast work again in the coming weeks.”

Episode 2 will be available later in November on World Pool’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@WorldPool.racing

The 2025 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races meeting takes place on Sunday 14 December, with the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship on Wednesday 10 December.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Horse racing news: Harry Bentley lands first Hong Kong Group 2 win in £500,000 Premier Bowl