Futurity Trophy
ClassGroup 1
Horse raceFuturity Trophy
LocationDoncaster Racecourse
Doncaster, England
Inaugurated1961
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
WebsiteDoncaster
Distance1 mile (1,609 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackStraight
QualificationTwo-year-olds
excluding geldings
Weight9 st 3 lb
Allowances
3 lb for fillies
Purse£200,000 (2025)
1st: £113,420

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The Futurity Trophy is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.

History

The event was established in 1961 and was originally called the Timeform Gold Cup. It was founded by Phil Bull, the creator of Timeform, and was backed by this organisation until 1964.

The Observer started to support the event in 1965. The present grading system was introduced in 1971 and the Observer Gold Cup was classed at Group-1 level.

The bookmaker William Hill took over the sponsorship in 1976, and from this point the event was known as the Futurity Stakes. From 1989 to 2017 the race was sponsored by the Racing Post and run as the Racing Post Trophy. William Hill reestablished their race partnership in 2024 with the official title now the William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes.[1]

Up to 2000 the race was run on the round mile from 2001 it was run on the Straight Mile

The Futurity Trophy is now the last Group 1 event of the British flat racing season. The 2019 race was run on Newcastle's Tapeta track, after the Doncaster meeting was abandoned because of waterlogging, thereby becoming the first British Group 1 race to be run on an artificial surface.[2]

Six winners have subsequently achieved victory in the following year's Derby: Reference Point (1986); High Chaparral (2001); Motivator (2004); Authorized (2006); Camelot (2011); Auguste Rodin (2022).

Records

Leading jockey (5 wins):

  • Lester Piggott – Ribocco (1966), Noble Decree (1972), Apalachee (1973), Dunbeath (1982), Lanfranco (1984)
  • Pat Eddery – Sporting Yankee (1976), Dactylographer (1977), Beldale Flutter (1980), Reference Point (1986), Armiger (1992)

Leading trainer (12 wins):

  • Aidan O'Brien - Saratoga Springs (1997), Aristotle (1999), High Chaparral (2001), Brian Boru (2002), St Nicholas Abbey (2009), Camelot (2011), Kingsbarns (2012), Saxon Warrior (2017), Magna Grecia (2018), Luxembourg (2021), Auguste Rodin (2022), Hawk Mountain (2025)

Leading owner (11 wins): (includes part ownership)

  • Sue Magnier – Aristotle (1999), High Chaparral (2001), Brian Boru (2002), St Nicholas Abbey (2009), Camelot (2011), Kingsbarns (2012), Saxon Warrior (2017), Magna Grecia (2018), Luxembourg (2021), Auguste Rodin (2022),Hawk Mountain (2025)

Winners

YearWinnerJockeyTrainerOwnerTime
1961MiralgoBill WilliamsonHarry WraggGerry Oldham1:44.40
1962NoblesseGarnie BougourePaddy PrendergastEvelyn Olin1:39.00
1963Pushful [a]Harry CarrS. MeaneyLionel Holliday1:39.00
1964HardicanuteBill WilliamsonPaddy PrendergastJim Mullion1:40.40
1965PretendreRon HutchinsonJack JarvisClaude Lilley1:42.60
1966RiboccoLester PiggottFulke Johnson HoughtonCharles Engelhard1:44.60
1967Vaguely NobleBill WilliamsonWalter WhartonBrook Holliday1:44.80
1968The ElkBill PyersJeremy TreeMonica Sheriffe1:44.60
1969ApprovalDuncan KeithHenry CecilSir Humphrey de Trafford1:45.80
1970Linden TreeDuncan KeithPeter WalwynMrs D. McCalmont1:46.00
1971High TopWillie CarsonBernard van CutsemSir Jules Thorn1:40.80
1972Noble DecreeLester PiggottBernard van CutsemNelson Bunker Hunt1:42.79
1973ApalacheeLester PiggottVincent O'BrienJack Mulcahy1:43.51
1974Green DancerFreddy HeadAlec HeadJacques Wertheimer1:45.01
1975Take Your PlaceGianfranco DettoriHenry CecilCarlo d'Alessio1:40.50
1976Sporting YankeePat EdderyPeter WalwynWilliam Hill Racing1:48.56
1977DactylographerPat EdderyPeter WalwynPhilip Niarchos1:43.70
1978Sandy CreekChristy RocheCon CollinsAlfie McLean1:38.32
1979Hello GorgeousJoe MercerHenry CecilDaniel Wildenstein1:42.30
1980Beldale FlutterPat EdderyMichael JarvisTony Kelly1:43.53
1981Count PahlenGeoff BaxterBruce HobbsMrs Tony Villar1:42.40
1982DunbeathLester PiggottHenry CecilMichael Riordan1:44.05
1983AlphabatimGreville StarkeyGuy HarwoodKhalid Abdullah1:41.30
1984LanfrancoLester PiggottHenry CecilCharles St George1:43.90
1985BakharoffGreville StarkeyGuy HarwoodKhalid Abdullah1:41.20
1986Reference PointPat EdderyHenry CecilLouis Freedman1:45.03
1987EmmsonWillie CarsonDick HernSir Michael Sobell1:42.66
1988Al HarebWillie CarsonNeil GrahamHamdan Al Maktoum1:40.73
1989Be My Chief [b]Steve CauthenHenry CecilPeter Burrell1:42.99
1990Peter DaviesSteve CauthenHenry CecilCharles St George1:46.00
1991Seattle RhymeCash AsmussenDavid ElsworthH. J. Senn1:39.58
1992ArmigerPat EdderyHenry CecilKhalid Abdullah1:39.70
1993King's TheatreWillie RyanHenry CecilPoland / Sheikh Moh'd [3]1:41.04
1994Celtic SwingKevin DarleyLady HerriesPeter Savill1:40.04
1995Beauchamp KingJohn ReidJohn DunlopErik Penser1:38.89
1996MedaalyGary HindSaeed bin SuroorGodolphin1:41.12
1997Saratoga SpringsMichael KinaneAidan O'BrienMichael Tabor1:40.36
1998Commander CollinsJimmy FortunePeter Chapple-HyamRobert Sangster1:47.80
1999AristotleGeorge DuffieldAidan O'BrienSue Magnier1:45.00
2000DilshaanJohnny MurtaghSir Michael StouteSaeed Suhail1:45.87
2001High ChaparralKevin DarleyAidan O'BrienTabor / Magnier1:45.39
2002Brian BoruKevin DarleyAidan O'BrienSue Magnier1:46.01
2003American PostChristophe SoumillonCriquette Head-MaarekKhalid Abdullah1:39.57
2004MotivatorKieren FallonMichael BellRoyal Ascot Racing Club1:41.62
2005Palace EpisodeNeil CallanKevin RyanTheresa Marnane1:45.10
2006Authorized [c]Frankie DettoriPeter Chapple-HyamAl Homaizi / Al Sagar1:43.74
2007Ibn KhaldunKerrin McEvoySaeed bin SuroorGodolphin1:37.62
2008Crowded HouseJamie SpencerBrian MeehanReddam / Burrell / Harvey1:39.17
2009St Nicholas AbbeyJohnny MurtaghAidan O'BrienSmith / Magnier / Tabor1:39.62
2010CasamentoFrankie DettoriMichael HalfordSheikh Mohammed1:37.03
2011CamelotJoseph O'BrienAidan O'BrienSmith / Magnier / Tabor1:38.58
2012KingsbarnsJoseph O'BrienAidan O'BrienMagnier / Tabor / Smith1:40.32
2013Kingston HillAndrea AtzeniRoger VarianPaul D Smith1:44.83
2014Elm ParkAndrea AtzeniAndrew BaldingQatar Racing & Kingsclere Racing1:43.82
2015MarcelAndrea AtzeniPeter Chapple-HyamPaul Hancock1:40.85
2016RivetAndrea AtzeniWilliam HaggasThe Starship Partnership1:37.08
2017Saxon WarriorRyan MooreAidan O'BrienSmith / Magnier / Tabor1:40.12
2018Magna GreciaDonnacha O'BrienAidan O'BrienSmith / Magnier / Tabor / Flaxman1:37.72
2019Kameko[d]Oisin MurphyAndrew BaldingQatar Racing Ltd1:36.26
2020Mac SwineyKevin ManningJim BolgerJackie Bolger1:41.98
2021LuxembourgRyan MooreAidan O'BrienSmith / Magnier / Tabor / Westerberg1:43.61
2022Auguste RodinRyan MooreAidan O'BrienTabor / Smith / Magnier / Westerberg1:44:76
2023Ancient WisdomWilliam BuickCharlie ApplebyGodolphin1:46.45
2024HotazhellShane FoleyJessica HarringtonSilverton Hill Partnership1:41.95
2025Hawk MountainRonan WhelanAidan O'BrienSmith / Magnier / Tabor1:43.85
  1. ^ Scissors finished first in 1963, but he was relegated to second place following a stewards' inquiry
  2. ^ The 1989 running took place at Newcastle
  3. ^ The 2006 edition was held at Newbury
  4. ^ The 2019 running was held at Newcastle on an all-weather surface

See also

References

  1. ^ "Futurity Trophy Stakes Welcomes Back Original Sponsor William Hill". igaming.news
  2. ^ Baxter, David (27 October 2019). "All-weather to the rescue: Newcastle steps in to stage Vertem Futurity Trophy". Racing Post
  3. ^ Montgomery, Sue (24 October 1993). "Theatre a class act". The Independent. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  • Paris-Turf:
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  • Racing Post:
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  • Race Recordings (1969, 1971, 1973, 1980-2004) youtube.com
  • galopp-sieger.de – Racing Post Trophy.
  • ifhaonline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Racing Post Trophy (2019).
  • pedigreequery.com – Futurity Stakes – Doncaster.
  • pedigreequery.com – Racing Post Trophy – Doncaster.
  • Abelson, Edward & Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. p. 221. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.