French-based brothers Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti are setting their sights on Australian riches, with stayer Presage Nocturne being aimed at the prestigious Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup this spring.
The grey son of Wootton Bassett has been making waves in France, notably winning the Group 3 Prix de Barbeville before a strong third in the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, both run at Longchamp.
Plans are underway for Presage Nocturne to contest one more race in France—either the Prix Kergorlay (3000m) or the Grand Prix de Deauville (2500m)—before heading to Australia.
“Presage Nocturne will probably run in the Caulfield Cup, but before that he’ll run in either the Prix Kergorlay or Grand Prix de Deauville,” Alessandro Botti said.
“He has already won two high-quality races, and he had a bit of a holiday after his run in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier to help him stay fresh for the end of the year.”
Earlier this year, the five-year-old also showed promise with a fourth-place finish in the Group 2 Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia, further proving his class and versatility.
The Melbourne journey will start with quarantine in Newmarket on September 1 before flying to Australia.
“To take him to Melbourne, we need to go to Newmarket on September 1,” Botti explained.
“He’ll spend two weeks in quarantine before boarding the plane to Australia. I’ll fly down for the Cup, which will be magic for the owners and I to attend.”
The decision to target Australia followed the horse’s strong overseas form and adaptability to travel, giving the brothers confidence to pursue the Cups dream.
This will be Alessandro and Giuseppe’s first time tackling the Melbourne Cup, though their cousin Marco Botti famously trained Jakkalberry to finish third in 2012.
“We’re very close (with Marco) and I will approach him for advice about running a horse at Flemington,” Botti said.
“I hope we can add the name of another French-trained horse to the Melbourne Cup honour roll.
“It won’t be easy, and the competition is tough, but I think he’s a horse who can adapt.”
If you’re keen to back Presage Nocturne in the Melbourne Cup, be sure to check out the latest odds and offers from top Australian betting sites.
