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OISIN MURPHY and Marco Botti’s stars aligned perfectly as they celebrated a victorious moment in Hong Kong.
Starting at an undervalued 12-1 odds with bettors in the region, Giavellotto raced ahead to claim the Hong Kong Vase, resulting in an impressive £1.3 million reward.
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In contrast, Sir Alex Ferguson faced disappointment as his hopeful horse Spirit Dancer ended up in ninth place during the Hong Kong Cup.
This win in the Vase signifies a major milestone for Murphy, who has now claimed a Group 1 victory in every major racing country worldwide, while it marks Botti’s first top-level success in seven years.
If you weren’t awake at dawn to see him win by two and a half lengths, you might think it was an easy ride, but it was anything but.
The five-year-old was just beginning to pick up speed when he got trapped at the top of the straight, abruptly bringing his momentum to a halt.
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After regaining composure, Murphy and Giavellotto charged forward for another attempt, carving out a clear path to a spectacular victory, thrilling the enthusiastic crowd of 70,000.
Globetrotting Dubai Honour faced his own challenges but impressively finished second for trainer William Haggas, while Luxembourg faltered, ending in fifth place during his final race with Aidan O’Brien.
Murphy proclaimed: “I feel on top of the world. This horse has just kept improving as he aged and performed excellently today.
“Typically, being halted like that two furlongs out makes it very challenging to regain momentum, especially in such a tough race.
“Marco has done a fantastic job with him, and I’m incredibly thankful. I feel very lucky to ride in such prestigious events globally, and I’ve always wanted to win here.”
British-trained horses once dominated this event in the early 2000s, and this long-awaited victory is the first since Red Cadeaux triumphed for Ed Dunlop 12 years ago.
Botti made his third attempt for this victory, having previously competed with Jakkalberry and Joshua Tree.
He beamed with joy: “It’s an incredible feeling; we have always believed he could win a race like this.
“There wasn’t much room at the top of the straight, yet Oisin kept his cool, using his speed and timing to close in on the leaders.
“It’s been a lengthy gap since our last Group 1 win. We have made several efforts in this race, and it feels like a dream come true to achieve it.”
Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson’s Spirit Dancer was unable to secure another notable international victory, weakening in the final stretch of the Hong Kong Cup.
Surrounded by cheering fans, the owner-breeder was serenaded with ‘glory, glory Man United’ near the finish line, but Spirit Dancer couldn’t match the local champion Romantic Warrior, who claimed the title for the third consecutive year, delighting the audience.
Trainer Richard Fahey commented: “I believe the ground was a bit too quick for him, and he just couldn’t finish the race effectively.
“Nevertheless, he has given me, Sir Alex, and all his owners another wonderful experience. He brings us so much happiness.”
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