Marco Botti | Horse Racing Free Tips

Botti Looks Forward To Goodwood With Top Stayer Giavellotto

Marco Botti is hoping a decision to sidestep the Gold Cup at Ascot with Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) pays dividends when his stable star lines out in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup in August.

Promoted to third in the St Leger behind Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) last season, Giavellotto accounted for that rival in the Yorkshire Cup last month.

However, Botti decided against running Giavellotto at Ascot due to the trip, and revealed that Goodwood has always been Plan A for the progressive stayer.

“Giavellotto is very well and the plan was always to go straight for the Goodwood Cup,” Botti said. “The horse won well at York and then we were keen to give him more time rather than stepping up to the Gold Cup, as we think two miles is his best trip.

“He has matured a lot mentally from three to four and we expected him to improve this season, as most stayers do with age. He used to wear a hood and get quite warm before his races but that was not the case in the Yorkshire Cup.”

Botti added, “We were disappointed on his first run back in the Dubai Gold Cup but he was drawn wide and the race did not pan out for him, so it was nice to see him show what we thought he was capable of at York.

“You never know until you run at Goodwood whether they will handle the track, but he seems a well-balanced horse and the long straight will be in his favour.”

Giavellotto is one of 26 entries for the Goodwood race, which include the Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

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Haskoy Connections Lose St Leger Appeal

Haskoy (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), the filly that crossed the wire second in the G1 Cazoo St Leger and was demoted to fourth for inference, will remain in that position after connections lost their appeal on Tuesday.

The Juddmonte homebred, with Frankie Dettori in the irons, was deemed to have caused interference to Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) of a sufficient nature to place her behind that Marco Botti-trained colt, the raceday stewards determined.

During the appeal hearing, two incidents were looked into by the independent disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority–an incident between the three- and two-furlong poles where the Ralph Beckett-trained filly drifted towards the inside rail, and again later on once jockey Neil Callan had re-balanced Giavellotto and were closing once again. The race was won by Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with New London (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) promoted to second, Giavellotto third and Haskoy fourth.

Callan said, “About two and a half out I started to make my move and I noticed Mr. Dettori have a glance over his shoulder so I gave him a shout to tell him I was there. I got carried left and ran out of room.

“I lost momentum and had to pick my horse back up after further interference on my outside and then Mr. Dettori drifted back out so I went for the rail again, but half a furlong from home Mr. Dettori switched his whip and his filly leaned in on me again which cost me more ground.”

“I would say that up to half a furlong from home I was giving it 100% and then when the winner passed me half a furlong out and I knew I had the others beat, I was riding at 80%,” said Dettori, who would subsequently serve a five-day suspension for the ride.

“I can't judge Mr. Callan's ride, only my own, but I would disagree that Giavellotto passed me after the line so that means he would otherwise have beaten me. I took the revs off inside the last half furlong because I couldn't win.”

Panel chair Timothy Charlton KC said during the closing statements, “There was considerable interference just before and just after the two-furlong marker which cost Giavellotto a lot of distance and momentum.

“Without that he would have had a traffic-free run to the line and would have begun a serious challenge at that point. Instead, Mr. Callan had to take back sharply to avoid clipping heels which took him into more trouble with Danny Tudhope's mount [French Claim (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr})] which compounded the loss of balance and momentum suffered from when Haskoy crossed in front of him.

“When Giavellotto returned to the rail he again suffered interference when Haskoy squeezed him up.

“The panel fully recognises the peril of an arithmetical approach to these sort of cases, especially when the interference is so far out, but despite those uncertainties the panel was persuaded that Haskoy's interference prevented Giavellotto from finishing ahead of Haskoy.

“It is the panel's view the deposit should be returned [to the connections of Haskoy] as perfectly respectable arguments were put to us.”

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Group 1 Winner Pyledrive To Prep For Hong Kong In Saturday’s All-Weather Churchill Stakes

Pyledriver is the headline act in a quality renewal of the Listed Betway Churchill Stakes at Lingfield Park on Saturday, Nov. 13, one of two Fast-Track Qualifiers on the card.

The popular 4-year-old reappears for William Muir & Chris Grassick having been sidelined since registering a first Group 1 success in the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs in June, for which he must concede a 7lb penalty to his nine rivals.

Pyledriver is the 7/4 favorite with Betway as he prepares for a foray to Hong Kong next month, with the Marco Botti-trained Felix next in at 4/1. Felix was second in the G3 Betway Winter Derby over the course and distance in February prior to an excellent third behind Lord North in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan on Dubai World Cup Night.

David Loughnane is hoping last year's winner Dubai Warrior can rediscover his best form after finishing last on his debut for the stable in the G3 Diamond Stakes at Dundalk in September. Previously trained by John Gosden, Dubai Warrior captured this race impressively 12 months ago as well as the 2020 Betway Winter Derby.

Loughnane said: “Dubai Warrior disappointed us first time out at Dundalk. He has been in good form since and needs to take a step back in the right direction.

“We have gone for the eye shields. He has tried them on at home and they seem to have benefited him. We can probably ride him a bit differently – get him to relax – and hopefully he can finish off strongly.”

A classy line up also includes the Andrew Balding-trained Fox Tal. The five-year-old was fourth in the 2019 G1 Champion Stakes and ran one of his best races this year on the All-Weather when a close third in the G3 September Stakes at Kempton Park.

John & Thady Gosden have two contenders in Doncaster conditions race winner Harrovian and Kestenna, who steps up in trip after finishing fifth in the Listed Coral EBF Fleur De Lys Fillies' Stakes at the track last month.

Unexposed 3-year-old Cu Chulainn moves up in class after winning a Kempton Park novice race on his second start. Three-time All-Weather winner Via Serendipity, Dalanijujo and Quemonda complete the field.

The winner of the 10-furlong Betway Churchill Stakes will be guaranteed a start in the £200,000 Betway Easter Classic over the same distance at Newcastle on Finals Day.

Betway Churchill Stakes – Betway prices:
7/4 Pyledriver
4/1 Felix
5/1 Harrovian
15/2 Fox Tal
9/1 Via Serendipity
12/1 Cu Chulainn
16/1 Dubai Warrior, Kestenna
20/1 Dalanijujo
40/1 Quemondo
Each-way 1/5 1,2,3

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A place on Finals Day is also up for grabs in the Listed Betway Golden Rose Stakes over six furlongs, a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £150,000 Betway All-Weather Sprint Championships.

All eyes will be on Mark Johnston's runner The Last Lion as he returns from a 1,876-day absence following fertility issues at stud. Now a 7-year-old, The Last Lion was last seen out in the G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket in 2016, when he defeated future champion sprinter Blue Point to give jockey Joe Fanning a first Group 1 victory.

A closely matched field of 12 also includes the last two winners of the Betway Golden Rose Stakes in Good Effort and Judicial, trained by Ismail Mohammed and Julie Camacho respectively.

Exalted Angel posted successive career-best performances over the course and distance last season, taking out the Listed Betway Kachy Stakes in February before going down by a head to Summerghand in the Betway All-Weather Sprint Championships on Finals Day.

Trainer Karl Burke said: “Exalted Angel is really well after a summer break and has been working nicely.

“He clearly handles the track well having put up to good performances at Lingfield last season – it's just a question of whether he is wound up enough to repeat those performances. I am not quite convinced, but he should run well all the same.

“We have saved him for another All-Weather campaign and the main aim is to get him qualified for Finals Day. The fact the final is now at Newcastle is not a problem because he has run well there before.”

There is an international element courtesy of Irish raider Harry's Bar, who is a three-time winner at Dundalk for Ado McGuinness, and Manjeer for French handler Carina Fey.

Misty Grey, a close third behind Exalted Angel in the Betway Kachy Stakes on his latest start, and lightly raced three-year-old Bahrain Pride are other contenders to note.

Betway Golden Rose Stakes – Betway prices:
7/2 Good Effort
6/1 Harry's Bar, Misty Grey
8/1 Bahrain Pride, Judicial
9/1 Exalted Angel
10/1 Fivethousandtoone
11/1 Manjeer, The Last Lion
12/1 Soldier's Minute
16/1 Jouska
20/1 Bimble
Each-way 1/5 1,2,3

Betway's Chad Yeomans said: “It looks a fascinating renewal of the Betway Churchill Stakes, with Group 1 winner Pyledriver the horse they all have to beat. He is the 7/4 favorite with us, which could look a big price in hindsight as he's clear on official ratings.

“The Betway Golden Rose Stakes is also fiercely competitive. Last year's winner Good Effort is solid at the head of the market at 7/2. It's also great to see Betway ambassador Andrew Balding sending Fivethousandtoone to the six-furlong contest. Andrew thought he was a Guineas horse at the start of the season, so it's interesting to see him at this level.”

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British Trainer Botti: Prize Money Situation Has My Horses Leaving For America

Group 1-winning trainer Marco Botti says low levels of prize money in Britain are beginning to impact his career after three more of his horses left the yard to race abroad.

The 104-rated Count Of Amazonia, winner of three out of six for the Newmarket trainer, plus 2020 Oaks D'Italia third Made In Italy and maiden Brown Delivers moved on this week, all headed to new stables in the USA.

Botti, 44, made his name with champion miler Excelebration and has won top prizes around the world, landing the Beverly D Stakes at Arlington with Euro Charline, the Canadian International with Joshua Tree and Prix Royal-Oak with Tac de Boistron. However, the Italian's most recent Group-race winner in Britain was Dylan Mouth in 2018.

Last year Botti's best horse Malotru was sold to Hong Kong after his owner received an offer that was too good to refuse and the increasing trend has become a serious concern for the trainer.

“Down the line it is affecting my career a little bit because when owners are looking at my stats and point out I haven't had a Group winner last year, I say it's because we are selling all the time,” he said. “I have to run a business but unfortunately once the horse has gone you get the money, but you don't get the success.”

Count Of Amazonia, Made In Italy, and Brown Delivers had won just over £50,000 ($70,584) combined from 22 starts in Britain and Botti has other examples of horses who have had to be sold or were moved on.

“We bought Count Of Amazonia last year and were planning to campaign him a bit more abroad this year to get better prize-money,” he said. “But an offer came in and the owner said it made no sense to run in a Listed race here for £20,000 ($28,233) so we were forced to accept the offer. He is going to America but Kulbir Sohi has kept a share.

“It was the same story with Made In Italy. We sold her before she ran at Kempton in a Listed race to American clients with a view to running her again before she headed to America. But because they knew the equivalent of a 20k Listed race is worth £60-70,000 ($84,700 to $98,817) over there they decided to send her there sooner rather than later.

“Brown Delivers is owned by Team Valor. He ran a couple of times this year and was unlucky at Kempton and then in a handicap. They said if he went to America he could run in a £30-40,000 ($42,350 to $56,467) maiden in America, rather than for £2,500 ($3,529) here.

“I had another horse, Endured, who won a maiden. His owner was based in Hong Kong and he said he couldn't keep him in England because he was running for no prize money whereas if you win a race in Hong Kong it pays for a couple of seasons.

“That's the way it is. It's frustrating. We are all living in hope something will change but when it's going to happen, who knows? A yard like mine has no Maktoum family or Juddmonte owners so we have to rely a bit on the market as well. It happens all the time where I lose nice horses for the same reason.”

Botti backs his track record, including most recently with the Sohi-owned Felix, who was bought out of Sir Michael Stoute's yard for 24,000gns. He is to be targeted at Royal Ascot's Wolferton Stakes and the Arlington Million.

“Felix was second in the Winter Derby and Winter Derby Trial,” said the trainer. “In two races he won £20,000 ($28,233), then the same horse went to Dubai, okay it was World Cup night, and won nearly £300,000 ($423,504) in one race for finishing third! The gap is huge.

“We have all been complaining. I don't know if anyone is listening to us but I personally think it makes no sense when valuable horses run for less than £3,000 ($4,235).

“I don't want to criticise the BHA or whoever is in charge but there is no way we can survive with the current system. It is going to be a big struggle. I know it has been like this for a long time but something needs to be done.”

This story was originally published by Horse Racing Planet and is reprinted here with permission.

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