3 minute read
The last of the G1s of the year is the Futurity Trophy run at Doncaster on Saturday.
We saw the Derby winner Auguste Rodin take it out in 2022. Who wins the 2024 Futurity Trophy (1609m) at Doncaster on Saturday?
2024 FUTURITY TROPHY - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The Futurity Trophy is a Group 1 race run under Set Weight conditions for the two year old colts and fillies at Doncaster conducted by the Doncaster Racecourse.
Known for many years as the Racing Post Trophy, it is run over the mile. It was first run in 1961 and was won by Miralgo.
It is the final Group 1 race of the season in Britain.
It was originally run as the Timeform Gold Cup with the creator Timeform Phil Bull its founder.
In 1971 it was graded straight away as a Group 1.
The race has had several sponsorship name changes but it landed as the Racing Post Trophy in 1989. It changed sponsors in 2018 and became the Vertem Futurity Trophy.
Six times the Derby winner has won the race with the most recent being Auguste Rodin in 2022/2023.
The 1989 running was at Newcastle and the 2006 version took place at Newbury.
Then in 2019 the race was postponed after heavy rain and moved to the all-weather at Newcastle. It was the first G1 to be run on that surface. Kameko showed the form was still excellent winning the 2000 Guineas.
Lester Piggott and Pat Eddery share the riding honours with 5 wins while the leading trainer became Aidan O'Brien in 2022 with 11.
Andrea Atzeni rode four winners in a row from 2013 to 2016 – all for different stables.
Coolmore won the race in 2017 with Saxon Warrior but the story was the sire as it gave the great Japanese horse Deep Impact his first G1 in Britain. It also provided Aidan O'Brien with a record 26th major of the season.
In 2018, as it turned out, the English 2000 Guineas winner defeated the Irish 2000 Guineas winner.
Mac Swiney would go on to win the Irish 2000 Guineas and then run 4th in the Epsom Derby.
The Futurity Trophy was worth £200,000 in 2024.
Notable winners of the Futurity Trophy include Ancient Wisdom (2023), Auguste Rodin (2022), Luxembourg (2021), Kameko (2019), Magna Grecia (2018), Saxon Warrior (2017), Kingston Hill (2013), Camelot (2011), St Nicholas Abbey (2009), Authorized (2006), Motivator (2004), Brian Boru (2002), High Chaparral (2001), Celtic Swing (1994), King's Theatre (1993), Reference Point (1986) and Noblesse (1962).
The 2023 Futurity Trophy was won by Ancient Wisdom from Devil's Point and God's Window.