Giavellotto to miss Yorkshire Cup hat-trick bid as Marco Botti reveals new British target

Hong Kong Vase winner Giavellotto will be campaigned at a high level in Britain this season, with trainer Marco Botti revealing the dual Yorkshire Cup winner will be aimed at feature races over a mile and a half, with the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July his ultimate target.

The six-year-old signed off last season with success in the Vase at Sha Tin in December over the King George trip, and he is set for his domestic return in the Coronation Cup at Epsom on June 6.

The Group 1 contest will be his first start since running well in defeat in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan this month, and it means he will not bid for a Yorkshire Cup hat-trick next month.

Giavellotto thrashed Vauban in York's Group 2 over a mile and six furlongs before going on to run respectably behind Kyprios in the Irish St Leger, but those races are not being considered this season.

Giavellotto: close third behind Kyprios and Vauban in the Irish St LegerCredit: Patrick McCann

Botti said: "All being well we'll go to the Coronation Cup next. We plan to stick to races over a mile and a half this season and we'll miss the Yorkshire Cup to go to Epsom. 

"He definitely wants fast ground and I think he'll have a good season. The big race we're aiming at is the King George."

The Newmarket trainer believes there were promising signs from his defeat in Dubai under Oisin Murphy, with the race not run to suit the proven stayer.

He said: "Things didn't pan out the way we wanted in Dubai. We wanted to sit midfield, but with a wide draw he ended up dropping out and the pace wasn't great, so it ended up as a sprint in the straight. 

"He doesn't really have the turn of foot of a Calandagan, but I thought he ran well in the circumstances."

Giavellotto is 12-1 for the Coronation Cup with William Hill but as big as 25-1 elsewhere. Sheema Classic runner-up Calandagan heads the market at a general 7-4.

Coronation Cup (Epsom, June 6)
William Hill: 2 Calandagan, 4 Los Angeles, 9-2 Kaplana, 8 Aventure, 10 Al Riffa, Illinois, 12 Giavellotto, Jan Brueghel, You Got To Me, 14 bar.

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William Haggas's Group 1 performer Maljoom transferred to run for Dubai-based trainer 

Royal Ascot next for Believing as George Boughey hails 'very satisfying' Group 1 breakthrough - plus the latest on his sole Derby entry 

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