The Futurity Trophy: Opinions and Testimonials
Saturday’s Kameko Futurity Trophy – A Battle of Titans
This Saturday’s highly anticipated Kameko Futurity Trophy will take us back to the golden era of racing as Godolphin and Coolmore prepare to go head-to-head in a thrilling battle. The clash between these two powerhouses is reminiscent of the epic rivalries witnessed during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Who can forget those glorious days when Galileo and Fantastic Light treated us to incredible showdowns in races like the King George and Irish Champion Stakes? Each horse claiming victory once, leaving fans yearning for more.
In this year’s Kameko Futurity Trophy, there are two promising contenders that represent each stable. Godolphin has invested a hefty €2 million on Ancient Wisdom, a talented colt sired by Dubawi. On the other hand, Coolmore secured Diego Velazquez for an impressive sum of 2,400,000 guineas.
Ancient Wisdom had to be supplemented into the race with a fee of £17,500 after his triumph in the Emirates Autumn Stakes at Newmarket earlier this week. Trainer Charlie Appleby is confident that his young prodigy will continue to impress after such an outstanding performance.
“Ancient Wisdom displayed great style when winning the Emirates Autumn Stakes,” said Appleby confidently. “He thrived on both ground conditions and distance increase during that race. He has recovered exceptionally well since then and even showcased his wellness during a light workout at Newmarket last Saturday.”
Appleby further added, “His victory at Newmarket proved that he excels in challenging conditions and has the stamina required for this race. It’s an extremely competitive field, but we are eager to see how Ancient Wisdom performs.”
In the absence of Ryan Moore due to suspension, Aidan O’Brien wasted no time securing James Doyle as the jockey for Diego Velazquez. The talented rider has already achieved two Group One victories with Coolmore horses this year through Warm Heart.
Talking about his new partnership with Diego Velazquez, who is sired by the legendary Frankel, Doyle expressed his excitement: “I’m really looking forward to it. We haven’t seen much of him yet, but from the two starts we’ve had together, he shows great potential and adapts well to challenges.”
Doyle also acknowledged that they may encounter unfamiliar ground conditions during the race: “Diego Velazquez hasn’t faced ground like what we’ll have on race day, so it will be interesting to see how he handles it.”
Roger Teal’s Dancing Gemini will represent connections in this prestigious race after delivering an impressive performance in the Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster. Despite concerns about heavy ground conditions for his colt’s running style, Teal remains optimistic.
“Dancing Gemini emerged victorious from the Flying Scotsman Stakes with great flair,” said Teal proudly. “He outperformed all competitors on soft ground and even recorded a faster time than some runners in a subsequent Group Two event.”
“Although heavy ground is not ideal for any horse,” continued Teal cautiously. “Dancing Gemini possesses agility and light-footedness which should help him navigate through testing conditions without getting bogged down too much.”
David Menuisier, fresh off his recent Group One success with Sunway in the Criterium International, seeks to continue his winning streak with Devil’s Point. Although Devil’s Point finished third in the Solario Stakes at Sandown and fourth in a race at Saint-Cloud, Menuisier believes the horse has tremendous potential.
“Devil’s Point emerged unscathed from the race at Saint-Cloud,” said Menuisier confidently. “The quality of that event was validated by its subsequent elevation to a Group One status through the Criterium International.”
Menuisier also noted that Devil’s Point is expected to thrive on deep ground conditions during the Kameko Futurity Trophy: “Considering his previous performances and preference for softer surfaces, I believe he will relish tackling this challenging terrain.”