2024 Futurity Trophy News - Quotes from connections
- Quotes from connections ahead of the 2024 Futurity Trophy
- This Group One takes place at Doncaster on Saturday 26th October
- Read quotes from James Owen, Jessica Harrington, Ryan Moore, Aidan O'Brien and more
Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore. (Getty)
- James Owen (Wimbledon Hawkeye)
- Aidan O'Brien (Delacroix)
- Ryan Moore (Delacroix)
- Kieran Shoemark (Detain)
- Jessica Harrington (Hotazhell)
- Charlie Appleby (Anno Domini)
- Oisin Murphy (Royal Playwright)
- Teddy Grimthorpe (Racing manager to Nebras' owner)
- Billy Loughnane (Seaplane)
Futurity Trophy Quotes
Quotes from connections ahead of the 2024 Futurity Trophy, which takes place at Newmarket on Saturday.
Read what the connections of this year's contenders have had to say, before their top juvenile colts enter this important Group One.
2024 Futurity Trophy News - Quotes From Connections
James Owen (Wimbledon Hawkeye)
He's trained well since the Royal Lodge and looks fantastic. He did a nice piece of work on Saturday and James Doyle came to ride him. I was most impressed by the way he went through the race at Newmarket; he never looked like being beaten at any stage of that race.
He was still a little bit green in the closing stages but was strong through the line and took a bit of pulling up. He handled the easier ground well, which was a bit of a concern beforehand because he'd never encountered it. For him to win his first Group 2 at our home track was amazing.
He's progressed with every run and every bit of work. He has a fantastic attitude and has got stronger physically and mentally. He's really grown up and I'm in a privileged position to be able to train him. He's a homebred of the Gredleys, who have been big supporters of mine.
I thought he ran well against The Lion In Winter, who is a very good horse. The form of the Acomb keeps being backed up and unfortunately we didn't get to see the winner in the Dewhurst to potentially cement the form. If we remain on an upward curve we'll hopefully meet him next year.
Aidan O'Brien (Delacroix)
He’s tough and he’s hardy and has been taking his racing very well. Ryan looked after him the last day, thinking of going to Doncaster. He’s a hardy, strong horse and handles an ease in the ground.
Ryan Moore (Delacroix)
He ran out a convincing winner of the Autumn Stakes and I never really had to get too busy on him as he answered every call under a hands and heels ride. He's also Beautifully bred being by Dubawi out of the Queen Anne winner, Tepin and has been hitting the line strong in his races.
Royal Lodge winner, Wimbledon Hawkeye looks smart while Hotazhell and Detain are heading in the right direction. It's an open renewal but my lad will give his usual honest and tough running.
Royal Lodge winner, Wimbledon Hawkeye looks smart while Hotazhell and Detain are heading in the right direction. It's an open renewal but my lad will give his usual honest and tough running.
Kieran Shoemark (Detain)
He’s got the right profile going into the race. It’s likely to be soft ground on the day, he’s a half-brother to Arrest and he likes soft ground.
He’s half the size of Arrest, who is large, wants a mile and a half, probably further, and has a big, long stride, whereas he’s a lot neater, a lot tighter and he’s got more speed.
I’m not sure we beat a whole lot there but he’s a proper stakes horse. I wouldn’t like to say too much but he gave me a good feel.
Jessica Harrington (Hotazhell)
Everything is looking all right, he came out of his last race very well, he’s had plenty of time and we’re happy with him.
I was delighted with him (in the Beresford Stakes). He got a bit of hassle from the (Aidan) O’Brien horses, but he didn’t turn a hair getting bumped coming down the hill. When he turned into the straight it looked for a second that he was slow to pick up, but when he did pick up he stayed on very strongly.
He’s been very good to us. He was unlucky not to win the first time, he got trapped on the rail at Leopardstown and couldn’t get out, but in a way it probably was a great thing as it taught him to relax and his head has been very good ever since.
“He wears a red hood in the parade ring and going down to the start, but that’s just to keep him relaxed. I think he’d probably be all right without it now, but it’s a big day on Saturday at Doncaster and there’ll be a fair buzz going on, so I think we’ll keep it on him.
It’s a big, wide, galloping track. He’s won at the Curragh and I think he’ll be fine. I think the ground will be grand for him as it’s going to be soft.
I think he probably will stay a mile and a quarter at three, but we’ll start him off over a mile. He’s got an entry in the English and the Irish Guineas and it will just depend how he is in the spring.
Charlie Appleby (Anno Domini)
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.
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.
Oisin Murphy (Royal Playwright)
I hope the ground doesn’t get too deep, but he’s improved with every race and he’s trained really well since his last start in the Royal Lodge.
We have a lot of respect for Wimbledon Hawkeye, the Kameko colt, but we are looking forward to running.
Teddy Grimthorpe (Racing manager to Nebras' owner)
We were all impressed at Newmarket and in John’s mind he always wanted to run him twice, if he could, this year.
At the time we were pleased that he won so well, so then it was just a question of how he came out of the race and how he was up until this morning when the decision was made.
He ticked all those boxes but it is going to be a big ask, no question, especially having had just the one race. But the key thing is he comes into it in really good form, we think he’ll handle the soft going, which we’d expect it to be, and we thought it worthwhile having a try at it.
Billy Loughnane (Seaplane)
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.
Top Betting Sites
Betting offers
Upcoming Events
06 December 2024
- 2024 Esher Novices' Chase -
- Horse Racing
07 December 2024
- 2024 Becher Chase -
- Horse Racing
- 2024 Tingle Creek Chase -
- Horse Racing
08 December 2024
- 2024 Peterborough Chase -
- Horse Racing
