Doncaster’s Futurity Trophy: Hotazhell prevails in duel for final Group One prize of season

Favourite Delacroix was edged out on the line by Jessica Harrington’s Hotazhell, dashing Aidan O’Brien’s hopes this year for his 11th winner in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.

Hotazhell, ridden by Shane Foley, always looked a threat in the Group One contest and began to lock horns with the favourite Delacroix in the final furlong, putting his head down to claim victory on the line as the first two pulled clear of the rest.

The 11/1 chance shaded Delacroix by a nose, with four and three-quarter lengths back to Wimbledon Hawkeye in third.

Coral made both colts 25/1 shots for next year’s Derby, while Hotazhell is 25s from 33/1 for the 2000 Guineas with Betfair.

The testing ground soon found plenty out, with the John and Thady Gosden-trained pair of Nebras and Detain beaten a long way from home.

Seaplane travelled well for Paul and Oliver Cole, but the Irish pair had it to themselves throughout the final furlong.

Harrington said: “He’s very tough and he loves a battle, I don’t think he’ll ever win by a large margin – he loves just looking at the other horse and saying ‘I’m better than you’.

“He’s a little bit feisty, he isn’t called Hotazhell for nothing!

“I think he might get 10 furlongs next year but we’ll start off over a mile. I’m not sure he’ll get a mile and a half but he is a very relaxed horse.

“He’s won a Group Three, a Group Two and now a Group One and this is just the start of his career, hopefully. We hope he can go on next year and get better.

“He’s in the Irish and he’ll be in the English Guineas, so we’ll see how the spring unfolds.”

Harrington last saddled a winner at the highest level in 2022 and added: “It is very special to win a race like this, it’s always special to win any Group or Grade One. We are mainly Flat now, we’re down to about half a dozen jumpers.

“I did a lot of shouting in the final furlong – I’ll get sent back to the National Hunt for doing that!

“I thought he had won but then I thought he hadn’t. He had to battle back twice, he’s very, very tough.

“It’s very exciting for next year.”

O’Brien said of Delacroix: “He’s run a stormer. We hope that bodes well for next year.”

James Owen said of Wimbledon Hawkeye: “He was lost in the ground. He showed his heart and how good he is in the way he battled on to finish third.

“James (Doyle) said it’s a lot softer here today than it was at Newmarket. He was struggling in it but he’s a lovely horse for next year. I’m thrilled to be here mixing it at the top and he’s done us proud.”

La Bellota digs deep for Prospect prize

John Ryan’s La Bellota saw off the might of Wathnan Racing and Coolmore to win the William Hill Prospect Stakes at Doncaster.

Ryan is down to a string of just 10 horses these days but La Bellota had already finished second in the Mill Reef and run in the Prix de l’Abbaye this season.

The Newmarket handler was forced to draw stumps halfway through the season due to the ill health of his string but they are ending the campaign in top form.

Fourth in the Cornwallis Stakes two weeks ago, Oisin Murphy set a searching gallop on the 13/2 shot, despite the testing conditions.

Anything that did not race down the centre of the track seemed beaten at halfway but Wathnan’s Diego Ventura and O’Brien’s Bounty were giving chase.

Having only his second run over six furlongs, his other being the Mill Reef, La Bellota saw it out well to hold Diego Ventura by a neck.

“He’s been a busy horse but unfortunately for him, he keeps trying so we’ve got to keep going,” said Ryan.

“We were probably unlucky going to France, he missed the break and in a race such as that, you are not going to get away with it.

“He didn’t run too badly last time at Newmarket when he got caught in the middle and I knew there was a decent race in him. It’s good for the owner who has been a great supporter of me.”

He went on: “I don’t think I took a breath in the last half a furlong but Oisin said he broke well and in that ground he didn’t want to take a pull on him and disappoint him.

“He’s so game. We put blinkers on today to help him concentrate as despite all his runs, he’s still very green.

“It’s nice for a small yard to have a good horse to carry us through, we’re down to 10 horses now, we need horses like this.

“Hopefully Manaccan will be back in the new year, he’s back in full training now so it’s exciting for next year.

“We had a problem in the yard in the beginning of the year, a lot were sick so we had to lay off them but a bit of time cures most things.”