Andrea Atzeni will once again team up with his old boss Marco Botti after securing the plum ride on Giavellotto for next month’s Group One Longines Hong Kong Vase (2,400m).

The Mastercraftsman galloper enjoyed his brightest day in the sun when spearing between horses to land the race under Oisin Murphy 12 months ago, despite being hampered 400m out and having to weave his way through.

Botti’s six-year-old has continued to age like fine wine in 2025, winning in Group Three company at Kempton before finishing a gallant fourth in the Group One Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2,400m) – Europe’s richest race – at Longchamp in October.

And Atzeni, who has ridden Giavellotto on four occasions including that Arc run, thinks he is the horse to beat come December 14.

“He ran a huge race in the Arc – on his day he’s a very good horse. He showed it last year in the Vase,” said Atzeni. “I think he’s meeting a stronger field this time and he’s an older horse, but he does seem to be getting better with age.

“His run in the Arc was pretty good and if he turns up here with some decent ground and in the same form as last year, you’d have to say he’s the one to beat.”

Giavellotto has stamina in spades, having won over 2,800m in Britain, but Atzeni does not think he is a slow horse by any means and has no concerns about a race that does lack confirmed pace on paper.

“He’s not a slow horse and can quicken on better ground. He’s a horse that needs to relax and the early stages of the race are always the most crucial for him. He’s a lot better with that now compared to other years, but he needs to relax,” said Atzeni.

“He won at Kempton in a steadily run race where he sat second and showed a smart turn of foot. We’d like a pace to aim at but it’s not a huge issue.

“He’s definitely a bit underrated. He’s been running consistently well and the way he won the Vase and finished fourth in the Arc, you’d have to say he’s gone a bit under the radar.”

Atzeni and Botti go all the way back to when the Sardinian was just 15 and he is grateful to be able to continue their partnership despite him being nearly 10,000 km away from his Newmarket base.

“I actually lost the ride on Giavellotto because I moved here so to get it back is obviously brilliant. Oisin [Murphy] obviously rode him in the Vase last year so I’m very fortunate to get the ride,” said Atzeni.

“I go a long way back with Marco, as I rode for him as an apprentice and worked for him when I was 15. He’s a great friend of mine and it’s obviously brilliant to keep riding for him wherever I am.”

Meanwhile, star jockey Craig Williams is expected to take the ride on the David Hayes-trained Straight Arron in the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m).