Team Botti excited for 2025 Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup mission

European trainers Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti are preparing a bold tilt at Australia’s biggest staying contests with Presage Nocturne, a French grey with proven international credentials.

After capturing the Group 3 Prix de Barbeville and placing in the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp, the Botti brothers are targeting both the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup.

The five-year-old son of Wootton Bassett will have one more start in France before making the journey to Australia, with either the Prix Kergorlay or Grand Prix de Deauville earmarked as lead-ups.

“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.”

The stayer also ran a solid fourth in the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, displaying his ability to travel and compete at top level.

To facilitate the Melbourne campaign, Presage Nocturne will enter quarantine at Newmarket on September 1 before flying out 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.”

Although it’s their first runner in the Melbourne Cup, the Botti family has Cup pedigree—cousin Marco trained Jakkalberry to finish third in the 2012 edition.

“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.”

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