Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes Betting Tips, Winners & History

Next Race: TBD

The next renewal of this race has not been scheduled yet. We will update this once the schedule has been released for next season. The race info, trends and tips shown below will be updated for the next renewal once the final declarations have been made.

Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes Betting Tips

Note: The following tips are from 2020. Tips for the next renewal will be added once the final declarations have been made.

The great Sir Henry Cecil sits atop the trainer’s table in this event, with the legendary trainer of Frankel having registered an impressive 10 successes in the race. We do have a man looking to join Cecil on double figures this year though in the shape of, Aidan O’Brien. The master of Ballydoyle sends just the one to post in 2020, with Wembley set to fly the flag for the Irish operation.

Billed as one of the top pointers towards future Classic success, this race has lived up to that billing of late. In the past 10 years Kameko, Magna Grecia and Saxon Warrior have all gone on to win the 2000 Guineas; Camelot won both the 2000 Guineas and the Derby, and Kingston Hill landed the St. Leger.

This has been an excellent contest for the favourite in recent years, with the market leader coming home in front in no fewer than seven of the past 10 editions, handing jolly backers a level stakes profit of +£10.53 over this period. Can the favourite deliver once again this year?

Wembley – 2/1

Considering Aidan O’Brien’s formidable record in the race, it is no real surprise to see that it is his sole entry, Wembley, who currently heads the market ahead of this year’s renewal. The fifth product of Galileo and Inca Princess, three of his four siblings have scored at Listed Level or above, with Group 1 winner Johannes Vermeer being the best of his predecessors. On what we have seen to date though, we wouldn’t be at all surprised should this one go on to better the achievements of his talented brothers and sisters.

It did take him four attempts to land his maiden, but he simply seems to have been something of a slow burner and heads into this on the back of successive runners up finishes in Group 1 contests. Held up out the back in the National Stakes at the Curragh, he was travelling much the best with a furlong to travel but had to switch around the whole field in order to obtain a clear run; by which time Thunder Moon had shot clear up the far rail and wasn’t for catching.

It was a similar story last time out in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket when finding himself with around four lengths to make up as the race began in earnest, in the end he managed to reel in all bar stablemate St. Mark’s Basilica to go down by just ¾l at the line. Both of those efforts represent rock solid form at this level, and any further improvement may make him tough to beat, with 2/1 seeming a fair price considering what few doubts there are.

One Ruler – 11/4

Ballydoyle’s major rivals Godolphin have landed this prize twice in the past through the Saeed bin Suroor-trained duo of Medaaly and Ibn Kaldoun. With the most recent of those successes having come in 2007 though, the barren spell in the race is beginning to stretch out just a little for the boys in blue. Bidding to change all that in 2020 is the Charlie Appleby-trained One Ruler and he certainly has an excellent chance.

A strapping sort by the outstanding sire Dubawi, this one is yet to finish outside of the first three in four career starts and looks to be progressing with every run. Making all to land his maiden at the second attempt at Sandown, things then didn’t quite go his way in a Listed event at Doncaster which seemed to turn into something of a sprint close home.

Stepped up into Group 3 company, and up to a mile at Newmarket last time out, he proceeded to produce his best effort yet, to power home by 1¾l from what looked a decent field on paper. Things did pan out for him better than those who finished in behind that day, but he still impressed with his change of gear and, having not looked fully extended at the line, he may well be up to this further step up in class.

Mac Swiney – 25/1

King Vega is another for the shortlist, and looks likely to be suited by this step up in trip. The form of his second to Etonian last time out has taken a bit of a hit though, and a better value each way option may be the Jim Bolger-trained Mac Swiney at huge each way odds.

This one has something of an overload of Galileo in his pedigree, being by New Approach and out of a Teofilo mare, and has reportedly already been identified by his expert handler as a possible contender for next season’s Derby. His maiden success at the Curragh back in July certainly seems to be working out well, with the horse to finish second to him that day being none other than the favourite for this race, Wembley.

The fact that he is such a big price here is no doubt down to the fact that he has been far from consistent in his three efforts since that Curragh success. However, he does still arrive as a Group 2 winner having beaten Cadillac and the Autumn Stakes runner up, Van Gogh in the Futurity Stakes. Only eighth in the National Stakes last time out, we would be inclined to forgive that performance in what was a very messy race. Looking all about stamina, he will likely need further than this in time, but can still be fancied to be staying on as well as anything late in the piece, especially with some give under foot.