Marco Botti set for first runner in Saudi Arabia this weekend

Marco Botti will break new ground at the weekend by saddling his first runner in Saudi Arabia when stable star Giavellotto will be ridden by Oisin Murphy.

The five-year-old flew out on Saturday after completing his preparation for the turf track in Riyadh with a workout over a mile on the Al Bahathri Polytrack in Newmarket under Marco Ghiani.

Giavellotto has been handed top weight in the Group 3 Longines Red Sea Handicap over 1m7f, worth $2.5 million (£1.98m,€2.32m) and was won a year ago by the Japanese runner Silver Sonib, who was chased home by the British-trained Enemy.

Botti said: “Giavellotto should like the track as he’s shown all his best form going left-handed, so we’re hopeful he can run well.”

Ghiani may have ridden the five-year-old in his latest work but he has other commitments, and previous regular partner Andrea Atzeni is now in Hong Kong, so Botti has turned to Oisin Murphy.

Botti said: “Marco is already committed to riding Mick Appleby’s Roberto Escobarr, on whom he won the Italian St Leger, in the same race, so we’ve booked Oisin Murphy for the ride.”

Giavellotto: won the Yorkshire Cup last seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Giavellotto had some high-class form in 2023, most notably his defeat of St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup at York, and was last seen finishing third to Coltrane in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup at the same track in August.

Other British interest at the Saudi Cup meeting includes Jack Darcy, who will be running for John and Thady Gosden for the first time in the Group 2 Neom Cup.

The Clarehaven team know all about the 1m2f turf contest having won it a year ago with Mostahdaf, and their latest hope has not long joined them after being bought out of the Paul and Oliver Cole stable at the horses-in-training sales in October for 280,000gns.

John Gosden said: “Jack Darcy was bought by Saudi owners Najd Stud to run at this meeting and I’m not sure whether he is staying there or coming back. He’s in good shape and shipped out on Saturday.”

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