Botti Considers Listed Level for July Cup Sixth After Strong Newbury Run
Newmarket-based Italian trainer Marco Botti is contemplating a quick return to action for his talented four-year-old, a creditable sixth-place finisher in last month’s prestigious July Cup. The unnamed gelding, who went off at long odds of 80-1 in the Group 1 sprint, demonstrated that his impressive performance was no fluke by finishing "best of the rest" behind Clive Cox-trained Coppull in a competitive Group Two over seven furlongs at Newbury.
Despite a series of strong showings, the son of Wootton Bassett has not tasted victory since his triumph on Shergar Cup day at Ascot last summer. Botti is now considering a strategic drop in class to Listed level on Saturday, aiming to secure a much-needed confidence-boosting win for his charge.
Reflecting on the Newbury effort, Botti expressed satisfaction despite an element of misfortune. "He ran very well. It’s a shame they sort of split into two groups and it turned out he was on the wrong side of the track," Botti explained. "The winner is a good horse and it probably showed up the form of the July Cup. We were maybe a touch unlucky when we finished behind the winner at Newmarket, but they showed the same form."
Botti was particularly pleased with the horse’s resilience, stating, "I was pleased with the run and I would say a stiff six furlongs is probably his optimum trip." This preference for a more demanding six-furlong test has led to his entry in the Listed race at Newmarket this coming Saturday. "We’ll track the race and see, but we know he likes the July course and likes fast ground," Botti added, highlighting the suitability of the venue and expected conditions.
The decision to enter him this weekend stems from the desire to capitalize on his current form and health. "We put him in on Saturday because this year he’s not been lucky at all and he’s come out of Newbury bouncing and looks great. He doesn’t have to travel so we said we’d put him in and decide towards the middle of the week."
Rocket Boy Continues to Impress with Promising Salisbury Run
Another promising inmate from the Botti yard, Rocket Boy, also performed commendably in defeat last week. Following up on his surprising debut win at Yarmouth, Rocket Boy secured a staying-on third in the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury, further solidifying his potential.
Botti was optimistic about the two-year-old’s future prospects. "He definitely showed he stayed a mile and the jockey (Marco Ghiani) felt the ground was a bit loose on top as obviously they’d watered well," the trainer noted. "He felt he changed his lead a few times early on because of that, but I put it down to inexperience."
Despite the slight greenness, Rocket Boy’s finishing effort was impressive. "Once he got him in top gear he finished strongly, so he’s a nice horse and he will improve again from that run."
Looking ahead, Botti has several high-profile options for Rocket Boy. "We’ve got a couple of options – we put him in the Royal Lodge (Newmarket) and he’s also in at Doncaster (Champagne Stakes) and there’s the Listed race at Haydock in early September (Ascendant Stakes)." The trainer remains flexible, adding, "We’ll see which one we go for, but I would say I don’t think he’d want the ground too soft."
This article was originally published on the Stourbridge News website.
