Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes preview and tip

Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes (Group 1)

• When: 3.35 Saturday, October 22
• Where: Doncaster Racecourse, South Yorkshire
• Winner's prize: £118,400
• Where to watch: ITV Racing and Sky Sports Racing
• Odds: Click here to bet with Sky Bet

Auguste Rodin

Seriously appealing pedigree being a son of Deep Impact and the first foal out of Rhododendron, who was a sister to Magical and a class act in her own right. He's obviously got more than a hint of the family talent and has improved with each racecourse visit, handling the step up to this mile trip well when winning the Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown over Irish Champions Weekend. Already rated 109 and clearly has bundles of potential, though the Leopardstown form isn't wildly strong on the face of it, the runner-up well held in a Group Three since.

Captain Wierzba

Probably best know as the horse from which Rossa Ryan was nudge courtesy of Christophe Soumillon, but that's no fault of his own and he didn't look an audacious entry in that French Group Three event on the back of an easy novice success at Ffos Last towards the end of August. Lots to find in this company, for all that he should be happy with the recent rain given his pedigree.

Dancing Magic

Had four starts and yet to get off the mark and while he does look to be going the right way with experience, he was behind Epictetus and Holloway Boy when fourth in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket and it's hard to see him coping seamlessly with another step up in class this weekend. Stamina likely to be his real forte in time.

Epictetus

Kingman colt who defied unease in the betting market to make a winning debut in a 13-runner Newmarket maiden on the July Course. After 92 days off, he was much stronger in the betting despite being pitched into Group Three company and duly improved around 10lb on the bare form to push the more experienced Silver Knott (bound for the Breeders' Cup next) close in the Autumn Stakes on the Rowley Mile earlier this month. Showed a fine attitude in defeat there and looks a highly promising candidate to give John and Thady Gosden a first winner in the race.

Holloway Boy

A shock 40/1 winner of the Chesham Stakes on debut, he has proven that to be no fluke with three excellent efforts at Group level subsequently. Two good seconds in the Vintage and Tattersalls Stakes were followed by an Autumn Stakes third on his first go over a mile where he suffered a little trouble in-running. He’ll have to improve again to win this on his first crack at the top level, but he could do. Sports a first-time visor.

King Of Steel

‘One of the biggest two-year-olds I’ve ever ridden’, according to Adam Kirby following his taking Nottingham success on debut on October 12. He really couldn’t have been much more impressive there, so much so it’s no real surprise to see him turned out in Group One company just 10 days later. That quick turnaround is the sticking point but this son of Wootton Bassett is a nice prospect for the upwardly mobile David Loughnane yard.

Salt Lake City

The Ballydoyle second string here but he boasts some good form, notably a one and a half length second to subsequent Group One National Stakes winner Al Riffa. An impressive five-length winner in a soft ground Navan maiden last time out, that’s good evidence he likes softer ground and, for all that he has plenty to find, he’s open to loads of improvement.

Stormbuster

Improved with every run this season and particularly when stepped up to a mile. His second in the Listed Stonehenge Stakes was a good step forward but he improved a bundle on his fourth start when he ran away with the Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions Stakes at Newbury. It looks unlikely he’ll have raced on ground this soft so he’ll have something to prove in that regard, but he’s an interesting contender for the Dewhurst-winning trainer Andrew Balding.

VERDICT:

King Of Steel looks the potential fly in the ointment but focusing on the top two in the betting looks sensible and EPICTETUS is narrowly preferred to Auguste Rodin.

The former posted a very encouraging second to a really nice Godolphin horse in Silver Knott at Newmarket last time and there looks to be loads more to come from the son of Kingman after just two career starts, while he showed a most willing attitude on the Rowley Mile which will stand him in very good stead.

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