Saturday afternoon sees the final Group 1 of the domestic season as the South Yorkshire track of Doncaster plays host to the 2024 edition of the Futurity Trophy Stakes. In addition to being the last of Britain’s 36 Group 1 contests, this £215,500 event is also the only top-tier juvenile colts contest to take place over a mile, and regularly draws an array of talent with Classic aspirations for their three-year-old campaign.
First run in 1961, the prestigious late-season event boasts an illustrious roll of honour, including High Chaparral, Motivator, Authorized, Camelot, and Auguste Rodin. Classic winners, one and all, but who will join them in 2024? We will know the answer by around 2:45 on Saturday afternoon, with the following eight contenders hoping to follow in the hoofprints of greatness.
Anno Domini
- Trainer – Charlie Appleby
- Sire – New Bay
- Form Figures – 11
Having landed this prize for the first time with Ancient Wisdom in 2023, Charlie Appleby bids to double his tally with this unbeaten son of New Bay. This race represents a significant step up in class from his previous wins in Class 4 and Class 2 Novice events, but the form of that most recent success has been franked, with the runner-up, Windlord, since performing well to finish third in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes.
Delacroix
- Trainer – Aidan O’Brien
- Sire – Dubawi
- Form Figures – 2121
No trainer has more Futurity Trophies in the cabinet than Aidan O’Brien. Already sitting on 11 successes, the Group 1 specialist relies on Delacroix to make it a round dozen. Dubawi may be more associated with the blue silks of the Maktoum family, but Coolmore aren’t afraid to call upon the services of the Godolphin flagbearer – in this case, pairing him with the six-time Group/Grade 1 winning mare Tepin. Posting his best effort yet to claim the Group 3 Autumn Stakes last time, Delacroix seems sure to prove popular with Ryan Moore in the saddle.
Detain
- Trainer – John & Thady Gosden
- Sire – Wootton Bassett
- Form Figures – 11
One of the most surprising stats about this race is that it has never been won by the powerful John Gosden operation. Now training with son Thady, Gosden sends two into battle in 2024 headed by this late supplementary entry. An impressive winner on debut at Kempton, he thrust his hat into the ring for this event when returning to the Sunbury-on-Thames venue to post an emphatic seven-length success last time. He’s up in class and racing on turf for the first time but falls into the “could be anything” category.
Hotazhell
- Trainer – Jessica Harrington
- Sire – Too Darn Hot
- Form Figures – 41121
Like Gosden, Jessica Harrington has yet to strike in this contest but will have high hopes of putting that right with this son of the John Gosden star, Too Darn Hot. With five runs under his belt, Hotazhell is the most experienced runner in the line-up and boasts a steadily progressive profile. One of only three distance winners in the field, he arrives on the back of a win in the Beresford Stakes, which was more comfortable than the ¾l winning margin would suggest.
Nebras
- Trainer – John & Thady Gosden
- Sire – Dubawi
- Form Figures – 1
The second arrow from the Gosden bow comes in the shape of this Dubawi half-brother to the yard’s Group 1 winning mare Nashwa. Nebras has a way to go to match his close relative but made a hugely encouraging start when getting on top late in a Maiden event over this trip at Newmarket. This demands significantly more, but he can be expected to step forward from that debut success.
Royal Playwright
- Trainer – Andrew Balding
- Sire – Lope De Vega
- Form Figures – 132
Successful with Elm Park (2014) and Kameko (2019), Andrew Balding bids to cap off an excellent season with a second Group 1 in the space of two weeks, following Kalpana’s excellent performance on Champions Day. Having finished third in a Group 3 race and second in a Group 2, Royal Playwright is heading in the right direction but has one and a half lengths to find with Wimbledon Hawkeye on their clash in the Royal Lodge Stakes.
Seaplane
- Trainer – Paul & Oliver Cole
- Sire – Golden Horn
- Form Figures – 221
The 2024 season has been relatively quiet for the yard of Paul & Oliver Cole, with Royal Scotsman’s win in the Group 3 Diomed Stakes the only success of note. Victory in the final Group 1 of their year would provide just the tonic, but Seaplane is among the outsiders here. Second on his first two outings in Maiden company, he took a big step forward to score at Newmarket last time but will need to find more in the first-time tongue tie.
Wimbledon Hawkeye
- Trainer – James Owen
- Sire – Kameko
- Form Figures – 1321
Number eight on the list, but top of most betting lists, is this son of the 2019 Futurity Trophy champ and subsequent 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko. Having scored on debut, Wimbledon Hawkeye was put in his place by Ancient Truth in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes but has performed admirably since. His second to The Lion In Winter in the Acomb Stakes reads well, with that horse topping most lists for the 2,000 Guineas and Derby, and he backed that up with a Group 2 verdict over Royal Playwright in the Royal Lodge Stakes. Already a winner over this trip on soft ground, he shouldn’t be far away.