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Three of the best winners of the Futurity Trophy

Saturday afternoon brings the 2021 running of the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, the final Group 1 race in the UK of the season. Run over 1 mile, the Futurity is contested by two-year-old horses only and is seen as a trial for next season’s Classics as several previous winners of the race have gone on to win the 2000 Guineas and Derby.

Known for many years as the Racing Post Trophy, the race has been won by several high-class horses, and we’ve taken a closer look at three of them below.

 

3 of the best winners of the Futurity Trophy

 

High Chaparral (2001)

High Chaparral came into the race as the second-string for Ballydoyle behind the odds-on favourite Castle Gandolfo, but he dug deep to take victory in a tactical race. And he proved that win was no fluke as he cemented his place as one of the best horses in the world with a stunning three-year-old career.

He kicked off 2002 with victory in the Ballysax at Leopardstown before winning the Derrinstown, one of the traditional Derby trial races. Epsom was next on the agenda where he again defeated a stablemate – this time Hawk Wing – to land the Derby, and that was followed up victory in the Irish Derby three weeks later.

He was then given a break before the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, where he placed 3rd, but another victory was to come in 2003 when he landed the Breeders Cup Turf at Arlington. 2004 saw him win three of his four races – including the Irish Champion Stakes – and defending his Breeders Cup Turf crown.

 

 

Authorized (2006)

2006 saw the Futurity Trophy run at Newbury after the race was moved from Doncaster due to severe weather conditions but that didn’t stop Authorized from adding his name to the list of the races best winners.

Having made his only career run to date at Newbury, Authorized used his course knowledge to land the victory at odds of 25/1 under Frankie Dettori. Bigger things were to come for Authorized in 2007, starting with success in the Dante at York, which led to him heading the ante-post market for the Epsom Derby.

Derby day saw him sent off the 5/4 favourite as he looked to give Frankie Dettori his first ever win in the race and victory was never in doubt at Epsom as Authorized and Frankie cruised to a five length success.

That Derby victory was followed by 2nd place in the Eclipse at Sundown, before a return to winning ways in the Juddmonte International at York. Authorized’s final race was in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe before he was retired to stud.

 

Camelot (2011)

Camelot arrived at Doncaster having won a Leopardstown maiden three months previously and with a lofty reputation. Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by his son Joseph O’Brien, Camelot demolished the field to win impressively and cement his place as one of the top two-year-olds in Europe.

More success was to come the following season – Camelot won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Epsom Derby, and the Irish Derby at the Curragh. He then returned to Doncaster for the St Leger, becoming the first horse since Nijinsky in 1970 to attempt to win the English Triple Crown.

History was not to be made though as the 25/1 Encke held on from Camelot to deny him a Triple Crown. That loss had a further sting in the tail for Camelot when Encke subsequently tested positive for a banned substance and was banned from racing for six months.

Many feel that Camelot should have subsequently been awarded the St Leger but, for now, he has not. Regardless, he is one of the best winners of the Futurity Trophy.

 

 


 

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