Our columnist reflects on Hawk Mountain's Futurity success and looks head to the key weekend action on both sides of the Atlantic.
What did you make of Hawk Mountain's win in the Futurity at Doncaster?
It was a gritty display on testing ground, and he handled it best of the O’Brien trio. As a result, he’s now 10/1 second favourite for the Derby next year but I wouldn’t be convinced the track at Epsom would be his perfect playground.
He’s beautifully bred and as this is a race renowned for producing Group 1 winners going forward, this lad, and his companions should hit the heights next season too.
Which of the Aidan O'Brien colts would you back for the Derby right now?
At the prices it would probably be Futurity runner-up ACTION. He stood out in the paddock at Doncaster as unlike his three-parts brother Lambourn , he has a touch of class about him in the looks department. Handsome is as handsome does but he does look like a quality individual.
The reality is though, with his usual abundance of riches, you’d be hard pressed to know who will run where and the pieces of that puzzle will drop into place in the spring. O’Brien has the top seven in Sky Bet’s Betred Derby market and more besides, but at the prices, Action at 20/1 may be worth chancing.
Breeders' Cup weekend - what do you make of Minnie Hauk's chance in the Turf?
She has a huge chance providing the Arc hasn’t left its mark. She’s a tough filly but faces tough opposition at Del Mar, but you know what they say, when the going gets tough and all that jazz. The track is expected to suit and she’s adaptable ground wise too.
Rebel’s Romance is one of those in opposition and he’s the ultimate globetrotter, He’s a dual winner of this race and became the oldest winner of it last year at six, so it would be incredible if he could win again 12 months on.
He won a Grade 1 in America last month under Frankie Dettori who described him as a big unit. That doesn’t stop him cornering like a 1000cc motorbike and he’s always a threat, despite his advancing years.
Frankie will be up against the pair of them this time on Wimbledon Hawkeye but he has something to find on ratings against the big guns.
Francis Graffard is having a magnificent season, and has Goliath in the race. He suits this mile-and a-half trip and won his first Group 1 since last year’s King George in Germany last month, so his confidence will be high.
Amiloc represents a trainer that has found form as the season in the UK is petering out, so don’t discount Ralph Beckett’s gelding here either at an each-way price. He may not be good enough but with the stable firing on all cylinders, anything is possible. The track is expected to suit him.
Who else are you looking forward to seeing this weekend either at Ascot, Wetherby, or Del Mar?
The Breeders’ Cup is a bucket list event for me, and for most racing fans. I’ve been lucky enough to attend some great race meetings around the world but haven’t made it to America yet and this meeting has always captured my imagination since Arazi’s win in the Juvenile at Churchill Downs back in 1991.
This year’s Classic is quite rightly being talked about as a race for the ages. The reality is that Sovereignty should take all the beating and as Sky Bet’s 6/4 favourite that’s reflected in his price. With the Kentucky Derby, Belmont, and Travers under his belt this season, plus a couple of Grade 2s to boot, he is the outstanding three-year-old of 2025 Stateside.
His trainer Bill Mott won another memorable renewal of this race with the magnificent Cigar in 1995 and again in 2011 with Drosselmeyer. He’ll face last year’s 1st/2nd/3rd in Sierra Leone, Fierceness and Forever Young, plus Preakness winner Journalism. It's not an easy task. Sovereignty was denied the chance of an historic Triple Crown as he didn’t run in the Preakness, but he should be able to assert his authority here.
I’ll be off to Ascot for Sky on Saturday for the start of their National Hunt season. At the time of writing final fields haven’t been assembled but it will be a superb card as always at the track. Let’s hope they get a little rain before the weekend as it’s currently on the fast side of good there.
Over at Wetherby we will hopefully see Champion Hurdle winner Golden Ace return to action for the first time since finishing runner-up to State Man at Punchestown in May. She’ll be no price to win the Mares’ Hurdle there, but owes me nothing as I tipped her up each way for the Cheltenham race!
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