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The Group 1 double act of the Falmouth Stakes and July Cup rightly takes centre stage at the Newmarket July Festival. However, the three-day fixture also encompasses a collection of informative two-year-old contests. Topping the juvenile bill are the Group 2 duo of the July Stakes on the opening day and the Superlative Stakes on the concluding Saturday.
Held over a trip of seven furlongs, the £100,000 (2024) Superlative Stakes is billed as one of the most informative juvenile events of the season, with many of the leading trainers entering runners for whom they have Classic aspirations.
In any given year, a look through the list of runners presents an array of eye-popping pedigrees and expensive purchases. However, as owners, trainers, and punters know only too well, horses don’t always turn out to be quite as good as their breeding or sales price would suggest. With that in mind, we look back at the past four editions of the Superlative Stakes and assess just how informative this prestigious contest turned out to be, by picking out those runners who went on to score at Group 3 level or above.
2023 Winner: City Of Troy (Trained by Aidan O’Brien)
- Group Race Wins – Dewhurst Stakes (2023), Epsom Derby (2024), Coral-Eclipse Stakes (2024)
We begin with what may be the greatest Superlative Stakes winner of all time. Arriving at Newmarket on the back of a solitary Maiden success at the Curragh, City Of Troy made the world sit up and take notice with a blistering display to scorch almost seven lengths clear at the line.
Backing up that success with an equally dazzling romp in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, the son of Justify was soon hailed as the next big thing. The colt then did his best impression of Auguste Rodin when bombing out in the 2,000 Guineas, but rebounded at Epsom before winning in more workmanlike style at Sandown. We suspect that may not be the last of his top-level triumphs.
2023 Runner Up: Haatem (Trained by Richard Hannon)
- Group Race Wins – Vintage Stakes (2023), Craven Stakes (2024), Jersey Stakes (2024)
Haatem faced an impossible task in attempting to live with City Of Troy but stayed on nicely for second and has since done his bit to advertise the quality of the race. A comfortable winner of the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, he was then afforded little respect following a comeback win in the Craven Stakes. Three races on, he has gained the praise he deserves following a third in the 2,000 Guineas, second in the Irish 2,000 and win in the Jersey Stakes.
2022 Winner: Isaac Shelby (Trained by Brian Meehan)
- Group Race Wins – Greenham Stakes (2023)
In common with City Of Troy, Isaac Shelby headed to Newmarket with a tall reputation but only a Maiden success in the book. Nothing like as classy as the O’Brien hero, he nevertheless showed guts by the bucketload to see off Victory Dance by a head before going on to Greenham success in his Classic campaign. There’s not much to shout about amongst those behind Isaac Shelby, although Victory Dance did win the Listed Denford Stakes on his next start.
2021 Winner: Native Trail (Trained by Charlie Appleby)
- Group Race Wins – National Stakes (2021), Dewhurst Stakes (2021), Craven Stakes (2022), Irish 2000 Guineas (2022)
Given his subsequent level of ability, Native Trail made a meal of landing this event – only getting up by a short head to deny Masekela. He was much more impressive on his two following starts when slamming the field in the National Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes.
Returning with a comfortable win in the Craven, he was sent off at just 5/4 for the 2,000 Guineas but lost out narrowly to stablemate Coroebus. Compensation awaited at the Curragh, but he was never so good again before retiring to stud at the end of his four-year-old campaign. There was again little substance in behind, with only Masekela scoring outside of handicap company when landing the 2021 Denford Stakes.
2020 Winner: Master Of The Seas (Trained by Charlie Appleby)
- Group Race Wins – Craven Stakes (2021), Earl Of Sefton Stakes (2022), Zabeel Mile (2023), Summer Mile (2023), Woodbine Mile (2023), Breeders’ Cup Mile (2023), Maker’s Mark Mile (2023)
Three lengths too good for Devious Company in the 2020 edition, Master Of The Seas won’t go down as the most impressive winner of this juvenile event. However, this late bloomer has gone on to forge an admirable career. Agonisingly going down by a short head to Poetic Flare in the 2,000 Guineas, he grabbed a first career Group/Grade 1 as a five-year-old in the 2023 Woodbine Mile, before adding two more top-level stateside successes to his burgeoning CV.
2020 5th: Ventura Tormenta (Trained by Richard Hannon)
- Group Race Wins – Prix Robert Papin
Five lengths adrift of Master Of The Seas, Ventura Tormenta remained some way behind his Godolphin rival throughout his career, but did have his day in the sun when grabbing gold in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin.
2020 wasn’t a bad year for the Superlative Stakes, with runner-up Devious Company bagging a Listed level success in the 2021 Al Biddah Mile, and the fourth home, Saint Lawrence claiming the Denford Stakes (again) next time out.
Summary: Winners Worth Following But Be Wary of the Rest
Purely judged on the subsequent exploits of the winner, the Superlative Stakes generally lives up to its name. However, it is also notable that, with only a few exceptions, those beaten in this race rarely go on to scale the heights. That said, any runner heading to Newbury’s Denford Stakes on the back of a run in this contest may be well worth a look in the market.