Kitten's Joy's Kameko Slams Futurity Rivals

There was understandably much consternation as Saturday's G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy attracted just one home-trained runner against a Ballydoyle contingent at Doncaster in Kameko (Kitten's Joy). Roll on six days and all fears of a no-contest were belatedly put firmly aside as the Qatar Racing representative put all rivals to the sword at the rescheduled race under the lights at Newcastle. Joined by three other Brits taking on the Irish raiders in the first group 1 race to be run on the all-weather in Britain, the dark bay who was last seen finishing runner-up in the G2 Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket Sept. 28 travelled comfortably on the Tapeta tracking the leading trio under Oisin Murphy. Moving smoothly to the lead passing the two-furlong pole, the 11-2 shot was soon clear as TDN Rising Star Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) gave chase along with two of the other Ballydoyle runners in Innisfree (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Year of the Tiger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). At the line, the Andrew Balding trainee had 3 1/4 lengths to spare over Innisfree, with Year of the Tiger a neck behind in third and Mogul a short head away in fourth as the Rosegreen trio fought out the minor placings. Supplemented this week, the 13-8 favourite and TDN Rising Star Kinross (GB) (Kingsman {GB}) was a touch disappointing in fifth.

David Redvers was on hand to witness the momentous result for the operation, whose Roaring Lion also by Kitten's Joy was lost to the breeding world earlier this year. “Roaring Lion got touched off when he should have won this race in 2017 and it's been a tough and emotional year, so to win with another Kitten's Joy is sensational,” he said. “We've got to take on the best and beat the best and it's fantastic to come out on top in this. Who knows how it would have turned out on deep ground at Doncaster, but fortune favours the brave and we've been very lucky. All credit to [the racecourse owners] ARC, the sponsors and all involved in making this a proper group one race. It was very competitive and the best horse won, so it's a really good day for racing and for us.”

Whereas Kinross and Mogul were involved in a barging match in the scrum in the early stages of this contest which may not have helped their cause, Kameko enjoyed a straightforward trip with an ideal pace scenario supplied by the Ballydoyle pacemaker Royal County Down (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}). By far the strongest in the line-up, he was making up for narrow defeats when second in the G3 Solario S. over seven furlongs at Sandown Aug. 31 and when denied by Royal Dornoch (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in the Royal Lodge trying this trip for the first time.

Andrew Balding was inclined to take some blame for the latest defeat and said, “The Royal Lodge was probably my fault, because I had him a bit fresh and we've been a bit harder on him since. He is a horse who thrives on his work and racing and I think if Oisin had ridden that race again he would have won and come here expecting to win. I was very relieved they decided to run it here and it was a proper race today. He's a very good horse and I'm so looking forward to next season with him. We'll see how far he stays.”

Murphy was reflecting on the achievements of Roaring Lion aftewards and said, “He's got a fair way to go to get anywhere near as good as him, but this is a brilliant start. He was relaxed at Newmarket until I decided to follow Frankie there and it lit him up with six to run. Andrew really believed in him, but I wasn't quite so sure as he had been beaten in a group two last time. That instant acceleration is there and Newmarket might not be an ideal track for him–it wasn't for Roaring Lion either–and I think a mile to ten furlongs will be fine.”

Kameko is out of Sweeter Still (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), who was bred by Ann Marie O'Brien and raced once for Ballydoyle when fourth in a six-furlong Curragh maiden in 2007. Racing in the States the following season onwards, the half-sister to the 2012 winner of this race, Kingsbarns (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), went on to win in the GIII Senorita S. and place in the GII Providencia S. and GII Honeymoon H. Sold originally to Royal Oak Farm for $750,000 at the 2014 Keeneland January Sale, she was a $35,000 purchase by Kameko's breeder Calumet Farm at Keeneland November two years later before being offloaded for a mere $1,500 to T. Lesley Thompson at the most recent edition of that auction.

Also a half to the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial S. winner Belle Artiste (Ire) (Namid {GB}), she hails from the family of Danehill's GI Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up Ace (Ire) (Danehill), G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup scorer Danish (Ire) and triple group 1 runner-up Hawkeye (Ire). Her yearling daughter of Big Blue Kitten sold to Atlantic Bloodstock for only $5,000 at the recent Keeneland September Sale, while she also has a filly foal by Optimizer. Her unraced 5-year-old daughter of Galileo (Ire) named Catchingsnowflakes is due to sell at the upcoming Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Friday, Newcastle, Britain
VERTEM FUTURITY TROPHY S.-G1, £200,000, Newcastle, 11-1, 2yo, c/f, 8f 5y (AWT), 1:36.26, st.
1–KAMEKO, 127, c, 2, by Kitten's Joy
1st Dam: Sweeter Still (Ire) (GSW-US, $311,603), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire)
2nd Dam: Beltisaal (Fr), by Belmez
3rd Dam: Ittisaal (GB), by Caerleon
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. ($90,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Andrew Balding; J-Oisin Murphy. £113,420. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, £157,837. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Innisfree (Ire), 127, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Palace (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £43,000.
3–Year of the Tiger (Ire), 127, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Tiggy Wiggy (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Flaxman Stables (Ireland) Ltd; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £21,520.
Margins: 3 1/4, NK, SHD. Odds: 5.50, 11.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: Mogul (GB), Kinross (GB), King of the Throne, Verboten (Ire), New World Tapestry, Tammani (GB), Geometrical (Ire), Royal County Down (Ire). Scratched: Cherokee Trail. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.