Andrea Atzeni

The connections of the half-dozen European raiders among a field of 11 for Sunday's HK$26-million Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m) will have been mostly pleased with the outcome of the barrier draw, which was held in the state-of-the-art parade ring at Sha Tin Racecourse Thursday morning. Resolute Racing and Baron Philip Von Ullman's Goliath (Adlerflug) makes a second trip across to Hong Kong in the space of eight months, having finished a disappointing ninth to Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) at a fairly short price in the G1 FWD QE...

Group 1 winner Giavellotto will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on October 5. The son of Mastercraftsman, who is trained by fellow Italian Marco Botti, won the G2 Yorkshire Cup under Atzeni in 2023. Successful in the G1 Hong Kong Vase in December, the six-year-old entire ran with credit to be fifth in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in April. Third in the G1 Coronation Cup in June, the Scuderia la Tesa and Vaibhav Shah-owned chestnut defeated likely Arc favourite Kalpana (Study...

Former UK-based jockeys Andrea Atzeni and Harry Bentley have once again been granted licences by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) for the upcoming season. Atzeni is currently ranked fourth during the 2023/2024 season with 44 wins, and Bentley is enjoying his best season in Hong Kong with 34 winners. Atzeni said, "I've had a fantastic time in Hong Kong. To be in the top five of the jockeys' championship for most of the season, to win two group races, and to be on 44 winners, was definitely more than...

Back in the dying years of the last century I spent some time working for Horse & Hound. It was part of a large magazine group set in a 30-storey tower block on the south bank of the Thames in central London. A strange place for an equestrian publication to be based, but there we were, sharing the 20th floor with Country Life and Shooting Times, the odd Labrador or terrier running around loose, occasionally biting a delivery man or cocking a leg on the coat stand. You can imagine...

One of the best trainers in Hong Kong history, John Size is a three-time winner of the Hong Kong Classic Mile, a 1600-metre event that serves as the first of the three legs of the Classics series restricted to 4-year-olds from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The 12-times champion conditioner, who is approaching 1500 career victories, has two bonafide chances to add a fourth Classic Mile Sunday in the form of Helios Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) and Howdeepisyourlove (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}). Helios Express is the lone member of...

Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Morny looked a deep one beforehand and it didn't disappoint as KHK Racing's Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}--Mosa Mine {GB}, by Exceed And Excel {Aus}) reeled in Infinity Nine Horses' TDN Rising Star Ramatuelle (Justify) close home for the bragging rights at Deauville. As he had on his winning debut at Nottingham and the G2 Richmond S. at Goodwood, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained 625,000gns Tatts Craven Breeze Up joint-topper travelled easily throughout with Andrea Atzeni notably still. Allowing the G3 Prix du Bois and G2...

Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), winner of the Windsor Castle S. and later the G3 Jaeger Lecoultre Molecomb S., has been supplemented to the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. at York on Friday with Andrea Atzeni set to ride. Jason Hart, who was onboard for those two victories, maintains his partnership with three-time Group 1 winner Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). Big Evs will be the only 2-year-old in contention. "It's [been] a long time since a two-year-old has won the Nunthorpe [Kingsgate Native, 2007]. So,...

Impressing with his debut success over six furlongs at Nottingham last month, KHK Racing Ltd's Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}--Mosa Mine {GB}, by Exceed And Excel {Aus}) stamped his class on Thursday's G2 Markel Richmond S. at Goodwood. As the 625,000gns joint-topper at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained relative of Anabaa and Key Of Luck travelled ominously well following the pace before taking command with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. Soon clear under Andrea Atzeni, the 11-8 favourite had a length to spare over Ballymount Boy...

Shadwell's ultra-consistent Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Adhwaa {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) had not been sighted since annexing October's G3 Darley S. at Newmarket, but was ready, willing and able to deliver a decisive burst for a career best in Saturday's G2 Sky Bet York S. on the Knavesmire. The Owen Burrows trainee, who also saluted in last term's G3 Strensall S. at this venue, employed patient tactics from flagfall and settled into a smooth rhythm with just one rival behind until turning for home. Taking closer order in the...

French challenger Angers (Fr) (Seabhac--Angel Of Harlem {Fr}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), successful just once in six prior outings, was an almost unconsidered 12-1 chance for Monday's G2 38th Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen German 2000 Guineas and made a mockery of his odds with a power-packed display in the one-mile Cologne Classic. He becomes the second French-trained winner since the race's 1986 reincarnation, named in memory of Gestut Rottgen lynchpin Maria Mehl-Mulhens, and follows in the hoofprints of Alex Pantall's 2013 victor Peace At Last (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Angers backed up...

Connections of 14-1 shot Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) had benefitted from the intervention of the stewards when promoted to third in the G1 St Leger in September, but they faced an anxious wait themselves before being allowed to keep Friday's G2 Boodles Yorkshire Cup. Causing notable interference to the tiring Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) as he assumed command late on under Andrea Atzeni, Scuderia La Tesa's Marco Botti-trained homebred had half a length to spare over the penalised Leger hero Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) at the line, with Broome...

Taking all of the money in this scratched-down field of four, Triple Time (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Reem Three {GB}, by Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) did not let his backers down and ran home a handy winner of the G3 Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile S. at Haydock on Saturday. It was the first start of the year for the Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum homebred after he suffered an injury training up to the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in April. A winner of a Haydock novice last August...