Diego Velazquez heads eight declarations for the Kameko Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday.
Having impressed on his debut, the Frankel colt took the step up to Group company in his stride when seeing off stablemate Capulet in Leopardstown’s Champions Juvenile Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien’s youngster is one of the leading fancies for the Group One contest, a race in which the Ballydoyle handler has a fine record and claimed with subsequent Derby hero Auguste Rodin in 2022.
Diego Velazquez will be joined in the line-up by stablemate Battle Cry.
Charlie Appleby’s Autumn Stakes winner Ancient Wisdom looks a chief threat and was supplemented for the Town Moor contest earlier this week, while Roger Teal’s Dancing Gemini returns to the scene of an impressive track victory in the Flying Scotsman Stakes.
Dancing Gemini impresses in the Flying Scotsman Stakes
John And Thady Gosden’s God’s Window also created a taking impression when debuting during the St Leger Festival at the course, while Ben Brookhouse’s Redhot Whisper was less than a length adrift on that occasion and is also engaged.
Devil’s Point will bid to give David Menuisier a second Group One victory in the space of a week, with Deira Mile completing the field for Owen Burrows, although he is also declared at Doncaster on Friday.
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Doncaster Clerk of the Course Paul Barker reports they aren’t expecting any issues with the ground ahead of the Futurity Trophy card at Doncaster
‘No problems envisaged’ for Doncaster ground
The ground is expected to be heavy, but Doncaster Clerk of the Course Paul Barker insisted on Wednesday that they are in no danger of the meeting being abandoned.
Barker told Sky Sports Racing: “Hopefully everything will get a bit more manageable right through the rest of the week and we can start to put a plan together for Friday and Saturday.
“At least Friday’s entries were made after Saturday’s deluge and the Futurity is historically run on testing ground, so everyone who is planning to have runners are aware of what to expect.”