Sosie dethrones Giavellotto in Hong Kong Vase

Wertheimer et Frere’s homebred Sosie got the jump on defending champion Giavellotto in Sunday’s $3.3 million Hong Kong Vase (G1) and thwarted his repeat bid at Sha Tin. 

A record fourth Vase winner trained by Andre Fabre, Sosie was confirming the form of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1), where he and Giavellotto were third and fourth, respectively. Both had claims to improve on the better ground in Hong Kong, and bettors accordingly made them the top two choices.

Sosie was favored at 1.70-1, and a heady ride by Maxime Guyon helped him to justify the market support. The Sea the Stars colt was always within hailing distance of the steady pace, giving him the decisive tactical advantage.

British shipper Eydon led the way in the initial stages, until Japan’s Urban Chic rolled forward down the backstretch. But Urban Chic was taken out of his game as an habitual closer, and that ultimately told down the lane.

The stalking Los Angeles, representing three-time Vase winner Aidan O’Brien, made his move in hopes of giving his trainer the record fourth trophy. Yet Sosie was already on the premises to ensure that Fabre would surpass O’Brien in the record book.

Giavellotto rallied, flanked by Al Riffa wider out, with Goliath spearing through toward the inside. None could outkick Sosie in full flight. 

Sosie parried Giavellotto’s thrust by three-quarters of a length, negotiating about 1 1/2 miles in 2:28.05. He joins Fabre’s Borgia (1999), Flintshire (2014), and Junko (2023), the latter two ridden by Guyon as well, on the Vase honor roll.

“Everything went very smoothly,” Guyon recapped. “I followed Los Angeles (under Ryan Moore) for three-quarters of the race, but halfway round the home turn, Ryan’s horse began to falter. 

“This horse can really sustain his run, and he is such a hard horse to pass. The horse has such a great temperament and he is so easy to put anywhere in a race.”

Giavellotto’s rider, Andrea Atzeni, believed that he had Sosie in his sights, only to have him keep motoring beyond his grasp. 

“It was a good run in defeat. We followed the right horse,” Atzeni said. “I know the pace wasn’t overly strong. When I moved up to the winner, I thought I had him covered, but the winner found just a little bit better. He beat us before, and he beat us again.”

Goliath rebounded from his Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) debacle by finishing another half-length astern in third, by far his best result outside of Europe. Al Riffa was a further neck away in fourth. There was a 4 3/4-length gap back to Los Angeles in fifth, trailed by Bundle Award, Moments in Time, Ka Ying Generation, Ensued, Urban Chic, and the eased Eydon.

Sosie’s fourth Group 1 laurel advanced his record to 13-7-2-2. Hero of last year’s Grand Prix de Paris (G1) and Prix Niel (G2), he was fourth as the 2024 Arc favorite. This season, the bay revealed that he was a class act at shorter trips when landing both the Prix Ganay (G1) and Prix d’Ispahan (G1).

After his third to the sophomores Daryz and Minnie Hauk in the Oct. 5 renewal of the Arc, plans reportedly called for Sosie to enter stud in 2026. But then Hong Kong emerged as a target, and Sosie has persuaded his connections to prolong his career on the racecourse.

“We know he is capable of winning big races like this,” Guyon said, “and this year he has won at the top level over 1850 meters (the Ispahan), 2100 meters (the Ganay), and now the 2400 meters (the Vase).

“He is an incredible horse,” his rider added. “This was the first time he’d traveled across continents, and yet he’s been relaxed every morning this week, and he’s looked amazing.”

“Everything went perfectly,” the trainer’s wife, Elisabeth, said. “The race unfolded perfectly, he had a great trip, and Maxime knows his horse very well, while Sosie had trust in him when he asked him for his effort.

“He is a very good horse with a wonderful mind and a lot of natural energy. He is magnificent to look at, and he will stay in training next year.”