Hungerford Stakes next for Botti ace

Marco Botti is eyeing the CGA Hungerford Stakes at Newbury next month for his stable star Excelebration.

Although no match for Wednesday’s seemingly unbeatable Sussex Stakes hero Frankel in the Greenham at Newbury on his first start of the year, Botti’s colt showed his class with an excellent display in the German 2000 Guineas.

He was again left chasing Frankel’s shadow in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, but he was far from disgraced in finishing third, beaten just over two lengths.

Botti is hoping to see his charge return to winning ways at Newbury before aiming for a first Group One, but he will not be tackling Frankel again if connections can help it.

“I’m very pleased with him. He had a break after Ascot and he has done really well physically,” said Botti.

“The plan at the moment is to go to Newbury for the Hungerford Stakes on August 13, but we will consider the ground nearer the time.

“We haven’t ruled out the Celebration Mile at Goodwood on August 27, but that is quite close to the Prix du Moulin in France on September 11.

“That is a Group One and we would like to win a Group One somewhere.

“Frankel is just a freak horse. For me there is not much between Excelebration, Strong Suit and Zoffany and they are good horses, but Frankel is a different class.

“The other Group One apart from the Moulin is obviously the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot but Frankel might run there and if we want to win a Group One, I think we have to avoid him.

“We’ve been brave twice and I’m not sure we want to be brave a third time!”