Globe-Trotting Stayer Giavellotto Targets Eighth Nation At Seven
Qatar Is The Perfect Next Conquest For 'The King'
A small tag attached to Giavellotto's headcollar bears a simple inscription, ‘I'm the King.’ It was placed there by Francesca Franchini, his Italian breeder who has followed the 7YO from his first breath to racetracks across seven different nations.
After Britain, Ireland, France, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, now Qatar beckons and the proclamation feels less like sentiment and more like a statement of fact. For trainer Marco Botti, watching this son of Mastercraftsman embrace yet another adventure represents the culmination of patience, expertise, and perhaps a touch of providence.
A Traveller By Temperament
The discovery of Giavellotto's wanderlust came, as many revelations do, through necessity rather than design. When he first boarded a flight to Dubai, his connections harboured genuine concerns about how their sometimes-fractious charge would cope with the journey.
"The first time he went to Dubai, we didn't know what to expect because at home, or on the track in England, sometimes he gets a little bit warm," Botti reflects. “We wondered how he was going to cope flying to Dubai. But we soon realised he actually enjoys being away from the yard. It's probably something different for him, different from his routine. He likes the attention."
That initial voyage proved revelatory. Far from the anxious traveller they had anticipated, Giavellotto emerged as a horse who positively thrives on displacement, finding in foreign soil something that eludes him in the familiar surroundings of home. His regular work rider, Andrew, who accompanies him on every international expedition alongside travelling companion Federica, has witnessed the transformation firsthand.
"As Andrew always says, you can tell when a horse gets to the other end, whether it's Hong Kong, Dubai, or anywhere else. He is a happy horse. He's happy to be there, and that's a bonus for us," Botti explains. "It makes my life easier to train."
From Kempton Outsider To Group One Royalty
The journey from obscurity to international stardom began in the most improbable fashion. Making his racecourse debut at Kempton in December 2021, Giavellotto was dismissed as a gawky, unfurnished sort, sent off at odds that suggested little was expected. Yet even then, rallying from the rear of the field to claim victory, he offered the faintest glimpse of what might lie dormant within.
His career record now stands at 22 starts, yielding eight victories, three seconds, and four thirds, with earnings approaching US$3 million. The highlights read like a passport of prestige, featuring back-to-back triumphs in the Gr.2 Yorkshire Cup at York, success in the Gr.2 Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket, and most memorably, his breakthrough Gr.1 Hong Kong Vase victory in 2024, becoming the first British-trained winner of that prestigious prize in 12 years.
He finished third in both the Gr.1 St Leger at Doncaster and the Gr.1 Irish St Leger at The Curragh, ran fourth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Paris Longchamp, and came agonisingly close to defending his Hong Kong crown in December 2025, finishing just three-quarters of a length behind Sosie, a son of Sea The Stars owned by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer.
"He won last year, and I thought he ran a great race in defeat. Sosie is a very good horse," said Botti.
Strategic Precision In Selecting Qatar
The decision to target the H.H. The Amir Trophy, which carries prize money of US$2.5 million, in mid-February represents careful deliberation.
"Talking to the owners after Hong Kong, we thought we hadn’t been to Qatar with the horse before, and the track would suit him," he explains. "He seems to run a good race going right-handed, and they tend to have a good pace in Qatar as the ground won't be an issue. Watching most of the races, usually there's a strong pace, which could be in his favour."
There are practical advantages too. "The journey to Qatar is a little bit easier than it was to Hong Kong in December. It's much shorter," Botti notes. "That's an advantage for the horse. He will spend less time on the plane."
Logistics remain reassuringly familiar despite the new destination. "Usually, these trips abroad see them leave about a week before the race. The team is two people. Andrew, who is his work rider and also a head lad, looks after the horse, and Federica does the travelling. We always send these two people to make sure everything goes smoothly."
The Rebel's Romance Rematch
Awaiting Giavellotto in Doha is Rebel's Romance, the defending champion and seven-time Group One winner whose defeat of Botti’s stable star in last year's Gr.1 Dubai Sheema Classic left unfinished business lingering in the air. That reverse came with mitigating circumstances, though Botti remains characteristically measured in his assessment.
"Rebel's Romance is a very good horse. He already beat us last year in the Sheema Classic," he acknowledges. "Having said that, Giavellotto didn't have the luck. For whatever reason, the race didn't quite pan out for him. But they are two extraordinary horses who have actually got better with age."
The prospect of renewing hostilities clearly appeals. "It would be really exciting to take him on again, and hopefully, if we can reverse the result, that would be amazing."
One complication surrounds the jockey situation. Oisin Murphy, the regular partner for many of Giavellotto's finest moments, faces an unavoidable clash with the Saudi Cup meeting in Riyadh on the same afternoon. Andrea Atzeni, another trusted ally, similarly cannot travel due to commitments in Hong Kong.
"This year, Qatar clashes with the Saudi Cup. Unfortunately, Andrea Atzeni won't be available either," Botti confirms. "We've been evaluating a few options in terms of who is going to ride him, and there's still a good list of jockeys who could be available. To throw a few names out, Christophe Soumillon, I think he will be in Qatar.
Cristian Demuro is also under strong consideration. Bauyrzhan Murzabayev is based in Qatar, as is Marco Ghiani. They are all top jockeys, so I would be happy with any of them," said the seasoned handler.
A Breeder's Pilgrimage Continues
For Francesca Franchini, whose Scuderia La Tesa operation near Brescia has nurtured three generations of this family, Qatar represents the latest chapter in an extraordinary odyssey. She bred Giavellotto from her mare Gerika, a daughter of Galileo who was trained in Italy by Marco's brother Stefano. Tragically, Gerika died in 2023 while foaling her final offspring, a St Mark's Basilica colt named Gioco Di Squadra, now also in Botti's care.
"I can see why Francesca is so sentimental about Giavellotto," Botti says with evident warmth. "She saw him from day one, since he was born, and to see what he has achieved, what a great journey it has been for both of them. It has given tremendous satisfaction to Francesca as a breeder. She definitely wouldn't miss any of his races. She's been everywhere Giavellotto has run. It means a lot to her."
The "I'm the King" headcollar will make its Qatar debut alongside its owner, continuing a tradition of devotion that has spanned continents and defined careers. "She's well aware that horses like this don't come along very often," Botti reflects. "To breed another one like Giavellotto, it's not impossible, but it might just be a few years before it happens again."
Beyond the H.H. The Amir Trophy lies a tantalising possibility. Giavellotto holds a nomination for the Dubai Sheema Classic in late March, though Botti remains pragmatic. "In terms of timescale, we would have time to run in both since there's a gap of about six weeks," he says. "Whether we run in the Sheema Classic this year or take our chance elsewhere is still a discussion we will have after Qatar. While putting everything together, we thought, let's have the H.H. The Amir Trophy as the priority and then think about (everything else) afterwards."
A return to Hong Kong for a third consecutive campaign also features prominently in the thinking. "We will seriously consider going back to Hong Kong this year," Botti confirms. "I know it's a long way and we're talking 11 months to go through the season, but for sure he loves the place. He seems to run good races there. Why not consider going back for a third time?"
For now, though, all roads lead to Doha, where the seasoned traveller seeks to claim another kingdom. "He's been great since Hong Kong," Botti reports. "We couldn't be happier with his condition. He looks fantastic. Despite the cold weather in England, as you'd expect in winter, the horse has coped really well. He still looks shiny in his coat."
Giavellotto remains a horse whose story continues to write itself across the racetracks of the world. "He's a 7YO, so he's got a few seasons left in him," Botti says. "He's been to great places. It's just a fantastic story."
And somewhere, attached to that familiar headcollar, a small tag bearing four simple words will travel once more, proclaiming to all who might doubt it that the King is very much still on his throne.