2013-present Marco Botti
Marco Botti, son of Alduino, who was regularly champion trainer in Italy for more than 30 years, was born in 1976 and enjoyed a successful riding career before mapping out his route to becoming a top-class trainer. While his brother, Stefano, remained in Italy to train, Marco made his way to Newmarket. He learnt his trade from some of the best trainers in the town, spending time with Luca Cumani at Bedford House Stables, and also gaining experience with Ed Dunlop and Saeed bin Suroor. In 2006 he felt the time was right to apply for his own trainer's licence, ably supported by his wife Lucie, herself a former jockey, and began training at Green Ridge Stables on the Hamilton Road. His first winner came soon afterwards, when Ceremonial Jane landed a maiden stakes race at Beverley, but from that humble start he has gone on to achieve much success both in the UK and on the International stage. In 2009 Ceremonial Jade won the Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton for loyal owner Giuliano Manfredini, while Gitano Hernando won the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita Park, California in the same year. Another stable star during his time at Green Ridge was Excelebration who won the Prix de Moulin de Longchamp in 2011, while a year later Joshua Tree landed the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine, Toronto in 2012, and Jakalberry was victorious in the American St. Leger at Arlington Park, Chicago.
For over 4 centuries racing has been staged in Newmarket, but how have the racecourses evolved from an initial starting point at Fleam Dyke Pumping Station, some 8 miles from the town, with a winning post barely 200 metres from the town centre, into two world recognized, excellent racecourses and a universal acceptance that Newmarket is the Headquarters of racing?
To access an interactive racecourse map showing over 50 individually named racecourses CLICK HERE. The map will enable you to:-
1. Determine when extended races over 8 miles, 6 miles and 4 miles began to be replaced by the courses now visited by thousands annually;
2. Consider how the challenge of crossing the Devil's Dyke was overcome;
3. Contemplate why the town no longer has a steeplechase course despite having at least 5 courses during the past 2 centuries;
4. Examine the practicalities of having up to 48 starting posts and winning posts;
5. Appreciate that it was not financially viable to have an open racecourse spread widely across the heath, with a finishing post barely 200 metres from the town centre;
6. Research how and why the Cambridgeshire Handicap has been contested over 3 different courses.
NOTE: The map does not make mention of 2 particular courses:-
(i) Sefton Course (also known as the Cambridge Road Course)
Source: 1970 Raceform. Used from 1959 to 1975.
(ii) New Circular Course
The Circular Handicap was run on Friday 29th October 1875 on the New Circular Course of about two miles.
Source: London Standard (30th October 1875): ''the horses started near the Turn of the Lands, ran back way of the Cambridgeshire Course towards the Ditch, and afterwards proceeded down the side of the Tan Gallop, and turned into the Rowley Mile near the Bretby Stakes starting post, finishing at the stand at the end of the flat. Except in the hollow near the Cambridgeshire start the runners should have been visible all the way if the sky had been bright and clear''.
Another report hoped that the Circular Handicap would become a feature in future programmes, as it would be contested in front of the new grandstand which would be completed in about a year and would be able to accommodate thousands.
(I am grateful to Tim Cox for bringing attention to these 2 courses.)
Enjoy researching the intriguing history of Newmarket and its many racecourses.
2013 Prix Royal Oak Stakes TAC DE BOISTROM 4/1 owned by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Martin Harley
2013 Stand Cup at Chester TAC DE BOISTROM 11/2 owned by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Martin Harley
2013 American St Leger at Arlington Park DANDINO owned by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Colm O'Donoghue
2013 Winter Derby Trial Stakes PLANTEUR 2/5 fav owned by Sheikh Joann Al Thani, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Adam Kirby
2013 Winter Hill Stakes PLANTEUR 1/2 fav owned by Sheikh Joann Al Thani, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2013 Dubai City of Gold at Meydan JAKKALBERRY 7/1 owned by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Ryan Moore
2014 October Stakes at Ascot AL THAKHIRA 5/2 owned by Al Shaqab Racing, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Martin Harley
2014 Floodlit Stakes at Kempton GRENDISAR 100/30 owned by Mohamed Albousi Alghufli, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Martin Harley
2014 Quebec Stakes at Lingfield GRENDISAR 11/10 fav owned by Mohamed Albousi Alghufli, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Adam Kirby
2014 Royal Oak Stakes at Longchamp TAC DE BOISTROM 7/4 owned by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Martin Harley
2014 Sagaro Stakes TAC DE BOISTROM 7/2 owned by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2014 Beverley D Stakes at Arlington EURO CHARLINE owned by Team Valor, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Ryan Moore
2014 Woodcote Stud Valliant Stakes EURO CHARLINE evens fav owned by Juddmonte Farms Inc, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Andrea Atzeni
2015 Gran Premio Di Milano DYLAN MOUTH 4/1 jt fav owned by Scuderia Effevi, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2015 Winter Derby Trial Stakes GRENDISAR 5/1 owned by Mohamed Albousi Alghufli, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Martin Harley
2016 Winter Derby Trial Stakes GRENDISAR 4/1 owned by Mohamed Albousi Alghufli, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Adam Kirby
2016 Winter Derby Stakes GRENDISAR 11/4 owned by Mohamed Albousi Alghufli, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Adam Kirby
2016 Easter Classic M-D Championship GRENDISAR 4/6 fav owned by Mohamed Albousi Alghufli, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Adam Kirby
2016 Dick Hern Fillies Stakes ALJAZZI 12/1 owned by Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Saqar, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Andrea Atzeni
2017 Old Newton Cup DYLAN MOUTH 25/1 owned by Hon. Earle I Mack, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Harry Bentley
2017 Atalanta Stakes ALJAZZI 9/2 owned by Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Saqar, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Andrea Atzeni
2017 Snowdrop Fillies Stakes ALJAZZI 4/1 owned by Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Saqar, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Ryan Moore
2017 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine CAPLA TEMPTRESS 8/1 owned by Juddmonte Farms Inc, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Joel Rosario
2018 Duke of Cambridge Stakes ALJAZZI 9/2 owned by Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Saqar, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by William Buick
2018 John Smith's Silver Cup DYLAN MOUTH 8/1 owned by Hon. Earle I Mack, trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Dane O'Neill
JAKKALBERRY (2013 Dubai City of Gold)
ALJAZZI (2018 Duke of Cambridge Stakes, 2017 Atalanta Stakes)
DYLAN MOUTH (2015 Gran Premio Di Milano, 2017 Old Newton Cup)
KNIFE-EDGE (2016 German 2000 Guineas)
GRENDISAR (2016 Winter Derby)
