Anno Domini © Photo Healy Racing
Charlie Appleby feels Anno Domini is worthy of a step up to the highest level as he bids to give the Godolphin handler back-to-back victories in Saturday’s William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster.
Appleby has assembled a crack team of juveniles this term and having won both two-year-old Group Ones at Newmarket recently with Desert Flower and Shadow Of Light, the unbeaten Anno Domini will now put his own top-level credentials to the test on Town Moor.
Appleby saddled Ancient Wisdom to pick up this prize 12 months ago and his latest contender heads to South Yorkshire with a perfect record having won at Newbury on debut before comfortably accounting for a cast that included Beresford Stakes third Windlord at Sandown in July.
“He’s two from two and he’s a breeze-up horse who won well on debut and went and backed it up with a cosy performance at Sandown,” said Appleby.
“I think he might appreciate slower conditions as long as it’s not heavy, because he is a horse I’m stepping up in trip and coming off the back of a bit of a lay-off.
“It’s always a race where you need to see it out well in conditions, but his homework has been good and we’re going there with a bit of confidence behind him.
“He beat some nice horses at Sandown and as I say, he’s a breeze-up horse who had those two runs and everything came quite quick, so he deserved to have the break and he’s done very well physically for it.”
No one can match Aidan O’Brien’s record in this particular contest, with the likes of High Chaparral (2001), St Nicholas Abbey (2009), Camelot (2012) and more recently Auguste Rodin (2022) on the roll of honour.
The master of Ballydoyle now bids for a record-extending 12th win with Autumn Stakes victor Delacroix, who proved too strong for Stanhope Gardens at the conclusion of that recent Newmarket Group Three.
One of the likely favourites is James Owen’s Wimbledon Hawkeye, who split O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter and Appleby’s Ruling Court in the Acomb at York before serving up an ace in the Royal Lodge.
The son of Kameko was a length and a half ahead of Andrew Balding’s reopposing Royal Playwright on that occasion and has the chance to provide his trainer with a first Group One success under rules if following in the footsteps of his sire who won this in 2019.
Owen said: “I’m excited and nervous at the same time and it’s a massive race for us. It is lovely to have a runner in a Group One during our first season, especially a homebred of the Gredleys.
“He looks a hugely exciting horse with a bright future and not only were we thrilled with him in the Royal Lodge, but thrilled with him all season and how he has progressed.
“He’s training great and we couldn’t be happier with him at home. He’s drawn in the middle and the ground is looking like it could be on the better side of soft – I can’t see it being any worse than soft – and we handled soft well at Newmarket.
“We’ve got our fingers crossed for a big run and if he can put up the same performance as he did at Newmarket, then hopefully he will have a good chance.”
John Gosden has yet to win this race and now training alongside son Thady, he will launch a two-pronged attack as he looks to right that statistic.
Wootton Bassett colt Detain cost owners Juddmonte €340,000 as a foal and is now given the chance to confirm the promise of his opening displays at Kempton at the highest level.
“He’s done nothing wrong in his two novices and has been impressive,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.
“It looks a cracking renewal of the Futurity with a deep field. James Owen’s horse and Aidan O’Brien’s horse both looked good when winning at Newmarket and I thought Andrew Balding’s horse was a big price the way he finished off behind Wimbledon Hawkeye the last day.
“It’s a deep race but we’re happy with Detain and looking forward to seeing what he can do at this level.
“I think his future probably is ahead of him, he’s a big horse and physically he was a little weak during the year.
“John and Thady have brought him along slowly, hence they went for the second novice rather than jumping into stakes company and I just think the manner of it and the way he won the last day, it gave us the encouragement to give the Group One a try.”
Detain is joined in the line-up by stablemate Nebras – a half-brother to the recently retired Nashwa, and a taking winner on debut at Newmarket.
Like Nashwa, the son of Dubawi will be ridden by owner Imad Al Sagar’s retained jockey Hollie Doyle, who said: “It’s exciting, he’s got so much ability but obviously this is a big step up into Group One company.
“It won’t be easy to win but it will be very interesting as I think he’s got a big engine. It’s just whether he can apply himself at that level at this stage of his career after just one run.
“He’s taking on horses with more experience but I think he’s got so much ability and he’s definitely one to look forward to next year.”
Doyle’s anticipation is matched by the owner’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe, who added:” The important thing is that Imad is very excited about his prospects, not only this year but next year as well and he could be a nice horse.
“Given his pedigree, if he could get some Group One black type at two, or Group One black type at any time, it is a big help.
“We think he’ll handle the soft. There’s rain forecast and it doesn’t take much at this time of year to turn it testing, but you’d expect it at this time of year. The main thing is to go into it positive.”
Jessica Harrington’s Beresford Stakes winner Hotazhell is another to make the trip over from Ireland, while Billy Loughnane is handed the ride on Paul and Oliver Cole’s ready Newmarket scorer Seaplane.
Loughnane said: “He was good when winning his novice and is stepping up in grade, but we’ll see how we go.
“He was very impressive here last time and will have to step up given the tough company, but hopefully he can do.”
