Untested juveniles featured in wide-open Futurity Trophy

You will not find any Group 1 form among the seven entrants in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy Stakes on Saturday at Doncaster Racecourse.

Every one of the 2-year-olds makes his Group 1 debut in the final top-level flat race of the British racing season, a straight mile that, like usual, will be run over soft ground. The Futurity Trophy often is regarded as a testing ground for the following year’s Derby at Epsom Downs.

Tepid antepost favoritism goes to Wimbledon Hawkeye, who looks promising enough four starts into his career, though not especially better than some of his rivals. By the young stallion Kameko, Wimbledon Hawkeye has steadily improved through his four starts, going from a second-place finish behind leading 2-year-old The Lion In Winter (prematurely sidelined until 2025) to victory last month in the Group 2 Royal Lodge, a straight mile at Newmarket.

Wimbledon Hawkeye races forwardly and in the bridle, though when given his head in the Royal Lodge he might have lost focus, coming off his line while still best by 1 1/2 lengths over Royal Playwright, who returns -- a 12-1 chance with bookmakers as of Friday -- for a try in the Futurity. Wimbledon Hawkeye goes with an awkward, climbing stride but proved in the Royal Lodge he can handle a soft course like the one he’ll encounter Saturday.

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Doncaster a few days ago was trending toward heavy going, and the connections behind Detain said they wanted no part of that, though the colt, a Juddmonte homebred trained by John and Thady Gosden, runs if the course remains soft. Detain comes to the Futurity Trophy on a pattern John Gosden regularly has employed, giving a talented young horse a couple of easier runs on an all-weather track before testing them with stronger competition on turf. Undefeated in two starts, Detain, by Wootton Basset, made short work of 11 rivals in a seven-furlong novice stakes Oct. 9 at Kempton Park, winning by 7 1/2 lengths. Detain made all the running, opening a lead that approached double-digit lengths after being given his cue in upper stretch by jockey Kieran Shoemark, an impressive showing, albeit with an easy trip against overmatched competition.

Delacroix exits a far different kind of win, a real slugfest in the Oct. 12 Autumn Stakes, another Newmarket straight mile. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Delacroix also raced forwardly in the Group 3 Autumn, which became a two-horse affair through the final quarter-mile between Stanhope Gardens and Delacroix. Stanhope Gardens, talented but far from elite in his young career, held an edge for much of Autumn’s final uphill stretch before Delacroix, snugged along the stands’ side rail under Ryan Moore, surged to win by a neck. He surely will not lack fitness in the Futurity Trophy.

Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby try Anno Domini, like Detain untested after two wins to begin his career. He’s a colt that easily could step forward Saturday. Whoever does will go into winter with their connections dreaming of the 2025 Derby.

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