Futurity Trophy Preview: Will British Colts Challenge O'Brien's Reign? The five-day declarations have been made for Britain’s final Group 1 of the year at Doncaster on Friday and they certainly look interesting. The Futurity Trophy is run over a mile and is open to two-year-old colts and fillies, although all 13 horses entered at this stage are colts. Only four of those 13 horses are trained in Britain and the remaining nine are trained by one man; Aidan O’Brien. Team Ballydoyle Benvenuto Cellini heads the ante-post market and is odds-on to oblige. This son of Frankel absolutely bolted up in the Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend and a similar performance here would make him hard to beat. Fellow Group 2 scorer Hawk Mountain made all the running to take the Beresford Stakes in impressive fashion last time out and looks more than ready for a shot at Group 1 level on that evidence. He’s improving and could be the favourite’s biggest danger. Pierre Bonnard won with more in hand than the winning margin suggests in the Zetland Stakes, but it would be a surprise if connections drop him back to a mile, having been so impressive over 1m2f last time. Action was short on racing room in the Royal Lodge but stuck to his task well to finish third. It remains to be seen if he’s up to Group 1 level though. Dorset has taken his form to a new level recently, but he has had a busy season and there would be a slight stamina doubt. New Zealand, Piazza San Marco, Port Of Spain and Frescobaldi are all available at significant prices but they have all run recently and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they don’t make the cut once the final declarations are made. The home team Andrew Balding’s Item is the most likely contender for Team Britain, as the son of Frankel is unbeaten in two starts so far. He won well under a penalty at Bath last time out and faces a steep step up in grade, although the best is surely yet to come. Oxagon was well fancied by many for the Dewhurst a couple of weeks ago, although he failed to fire on that occasion. John & Thady Gosden’s colt would have a solid chance on the evidence of his second to Puerto Rico in the Champagne Stakes. Ralph Beckett’s Cape Orator looks like an interesting candidate at an each-way price, but the race could cut up significantly and we’re unlikely to have a big field. Rochfortbridge could represent Adrian Keatley, but you would imagine he has plenty to find. Dominance over the last decade British trainers have only won this race four times in the last decade and only once in the last five years. O’Brien has won it four times in recent times and three of those horses went on to win Classics, including his most recent winner Auguste Rodin. Jim Bolger and Jessica Harrington have also joined the party, with Hotazhell winning it for the latter last year and Mac Swiney coming out on top for the former in 2020. It’s going to be hard for the home team to take it this year, as the well fancied favourite looks very smart. The fact that the majority of O’Brien’s entries are unlikely to line up means we could get a small field and, if that is the case, Britain could have the numerical advantage overall. That might not be enough however, as Benvenuto Cellini looks rock-solid.
