BRITAIN were celebrating their first win at the Hong Kong International Races in 12 years when Giavellotto stormed clear to land the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase.
Trained by Marco Botti in Newmarket and ridden by Oisin Murphy, it was a first Group One success for the son of Mastercraftsman – and a first victory at the top level in Hong Kong for his winning rider.
Ahead of the race, plenty questioned whether the five-year-old would have enough speed to beat some top-class middle-distance horses over the 1m4f trip, but he flew past the likes of Luxembourg and Stellenbosch to beat Dubai Honour by two-and-a-half lengths.
Murphy was understandably thrilled: “It’s very special. I was dreaming about it happening this morning.
“Marco said he couldn’t have been training better. He’s obviously had a few experiences with going abroad now and his preparation from what I was hearing was perfect.
“I had a lot of confidence, particularly when he was so calm at the start. He didn’t get wound up.
“In the race he broke well, he landed in a good position. I never had to touch his mouth all the way down the back because he was in such a good spot.
Connections would have had a few anxious moments up the straight when it got crowded.
“Turning into the straight I had to wait and he got stopped,” said Murphy. “Sometimes you’re worried that the race is going to go away from them, but it probably served to fill him up a little bit.
“When I did get some racing room he was explosive and I was really able to enjoy the last furlong.
“It’s really difficult in a top-level Group One for this sort of thing to happen, that they’re that impressive.
“I can’t thank his owners and Marco enough for bringing him along so well and giving me the ride.”
Hong Kong won the other three Group One contests on the card, with Romantic Warrior making history as the first horse to win the Hong Kong Cup three times as well as becoming the highest-earning racehorse of all time.
His win in the highlight gave jockey James McDonald a Group One double after he steered Voyage Bubble to victory in the Hong Kong Mile.
New sprinting superstar Ka Ying Rising won the Hong Kong Sprint, albeit in slightly laboured fashion, but it was another unbelievable day of racing at Sha Tin.