By Tom Frary
Considered by most to be mere understudy to Kalpana (Study Of Man) in Saturday's G3 September Stakes at Kempton, last year's Hong Kong Vase hero Giavellotto (Mastercraftsman) had other ideas as he registered a minor upset. Always comfortable tracking the pacemaker for Juddmonte's 1-2 market-leader, the 9-4 second favourite outstayed her under Oisin Murphy in the closing stages to score by 1 1/2 lengths.
While Kalpana's Arc bid may have been derailed here, all roads lead back to Sha Tin for the winner according to Marco Botti. “He is still lightly-raced for an older horse and there is definitely still more mileage on the clock,” he said. “He idled a little bit in front and just does enough. He is not a horse that would just quicken away. I don't see much for him in the couple of months before Hong Kong and we don't really want to jeopardise our chances for that.”
“He has an entry in the Arc and I'm sure the owners will say we have beaten the favourite, so why don't we take our chance, but personally I think the ground will be too soft for him,” he added. “I would only run him in it on good ground, but that is very unlikely to happen as Longchamp has often been soft ground in October. At that level, he needs good ground.”
Kalpana's trainer Andrew Balding is thinking more Ascot for Champions Day instead of ParisLongchamp after this deflating reversal. “This was a prep and the Arc was always the plan, but we will have to see how the field develops,” he said. “She is in the Arc and the Fillies & Mares at Ascot, but it is really where the powers that be want to go.”
“It is disappointing not to win, but I think the horse that beat us is very good,” he added. “She is having a proper blow and hopefully that will put her spot-on for whatever we are doing. I felt like we had done enough work, but the trouble is we are not using grass gallops at the moment. They went a nice even pace and she had every chance, but a good horse has beaten her and she will come on for the run.”
Turned AWAY 💪
Giavellotto sees off the challenge from Kalpana to land the September Stakes @kemptonparkrace.
The odds-on fav had every chance but just couldn't get by.
Is the winner an outside contender for the Arc?@MarcoBotti | @oismurphy pic.twitter.com/hl3ksGejzs
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 6, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Giavellotto, who is now the winner of five Group races having captured two editions of the Yorkshire Cup and a Princess of Wales's Stakes, is out of Gerika (Galileo) who is kin to three Listed winners including the G3 Premio Dormello runner-up Donoma (Beat Hollow). From the family of the G3 St Leger Italiano winner and G1 Gran Premio d'Italia-placed Green Senor (El Gran Senor), her two-year-old colt by St Mark's Basilica is named Gioco Di Squadra.
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