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Aidan O'Brien's Salt Lake City cut for Vertem Futurity with big things in pipeline

3 minute read

There could be big things on the horizon for Salt Lake City after the son of Galileo scored at Navan on Wednesday.

AIDAN O'BRIEN BALLYDOYLE STABLES 28-March-2022. Trainer Aidan O'Brien pictured after 1st lot for morning work come back to the stables. Picture: Pat Healy Photography

The two-year-old produced an impressive showing on soft ground, beating Dutch Gold by five lengths over a mile.

The Aidan O'Brien trained colt, who went off the 9/5 favourite, streaked clear under a confident ride from Wayne Lordon to register his maiden win.

Salt Lake City was second to subsequent National Stakes victor Al Riffa on debut at the Curragh in August. And he followed that up with a disapppinting run at York on good to firm ground, finishing 15th oif 17, beaten 13 lengths to Desert Order.

But back on home turf with more cut in the ground he looked more like the colt that impressed on his maiden run.

"Obviously his first run was very eyecatching," said Lordon.

"I don't really know exactly happened the last day at York. Maybe it was travelling or something like that, I'm not sure, but he's been working nicely at home and it's not a surprise to me that he's gone and done something like that."

He is certainly a horse to look out for next year and he is now a 20/1 shot for the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster later this month having been cut from 100/1.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: "He's a lovely colt and Wayne gave him a lovely ride from the front.

"He had a good run the first day at the Curragh and maybe the quick ground was the reason for the slightly disappointing run in England.

"He is a horse that has been coming along and has been working nicely. He is a horse to look forward to next year."

"We have obviously got those Group races in two weeks' time between Ireland, England and France and he could be one for one of those, but he is a horse to look forward to for next year."