Two-Year-Old Trophy History and Trends
The Racing UK Two-Year-Old Trophy is one of the most valuable races in Europe for juveniles. Contested over a distance just short of 6f at Redcar, it is worth almost £100,000 to the winner and was first staged back in 1989.
Won in the past by top-class sprinters such as Somnus, Captain Rio, Pipalong, Peak To Creek and Misu Bond, the 2008 winner Total Gallery went on to land the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp with the 2014 winner Limato going on to glory in the July Cup in 2016.
Tim Easterby has trained the winner on four occasions, most recently in 2013. Richard Fahey finally won the race last year and the Musley Bank handler has four entered this year.
- There is almost a maximum field again this year but none of the last 12 winners have been drawn higher than stall 17. The stalls are in the centre of the track this year.
- Only one of the last 10 winners has started at bigger odds than 12/1 and that could be down to the fact that the race now attracts a better class of juvenile.
- Only one of the last nine has carried more than 8st 12lb so it’s still rewarding those trainers with an eye for a bargain regarding purchase price (the weights are framed with regards to a sire’s stock value as well as previous form).
- Official ratings of winners in the last few years range between 78 and 111 so there are few clues on that score with only four fillies winning since 2002.
| Two-Year-Old Trophy Previous 10 Winners | ||||||||||
| YEAR | HORSE | WGT | FORM | TRAINER | JOCKEY | RAN | OR | SP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Darkana | 8-11 | 177255 | R Fahey | B McHugh | 23 | 104 | 4/1 | ||
| 2016 | Wick Powell | 8-3 | 12272 | T D Barron | A Mullen | 20 | 85 | 12/1 | ||
| 2015 | Log Out Island | 9-2 | 237232 | R Hannon | S M Levey | 20 | 109 | 10/3 | ||
| 2014 | Limato | 8-12 | 111 | H Candy | G Lee | 23 | 111 | 6/5 | ||
| 2013 | Ventura Mist | 8-7 | 182033 | T D Easterby | D Allan | 23 | 78 | 10/1 | ||
| 2012 | Body And Soul | 8-1 | 61113 | T D Easterby | D Fentiman | 21 | 95 | 4/1 | ||
| 2011 | Bogart | 8-12 | 1716 | K A Ryan | P Makin | 22 | 103 | 11/2 | ||
| 2010 | Ladies Are Forever | 7-12 | 13 | G R Oldroyd | S De Sousa | 22 | 105 | 3/1 | ||
| 2009 | Lucky Like | 8-6 | 415 | E J O’Neill | F Norton | 22 | – | 20/1 | ||
| 2008 | Total Gallery | 8-9 | 152 | J S Moore | L P Keniry | 22 | 105 | 11/2 | ||
With almost £100,000 going to the winner, it’s no surprise that this race is massively oversubscribed most years. That kind of money is a big deal to northern owners and trainers and uncommon at tracks like Redcar. Unsurprisingly, there will be no quarter asked or given in what is always an end-to-end gallop.
Henry Candy’s only recent two-year-old runner at Redcar was the brilliant Limato, who won this in 2014 at odds of 6/5. His representative this year – Canal Rocks – will start at much bigger odds than that (currently 66/1 with Unibet) but would not have travelled without good reason.
Vintage Brut is unsurprisingly prominent in the betting. It’s a concern that he is running over 6f for the first time this late in the year but won a Listed race over 5f at Sandown in the spring so should stay. He has contested races like the Norfolk Stakes and Flying Childers this season and was only beaten a neck on heavy going at Ayr last month so the 6/1 with William Hill will be popular.
Having tried for many years to win this, Richard Fahey finally succeeded 12 months ago and has a strong team assembled again. Red Balloons beat Alfie Solomons three lengths in a similar contest at York in August. The step up to 6f obviously suited and he looks a threat to all, though is only a best 7/1 with William Hill. Stablemate Wasntexpectingthat is also respected at a more generous 20/1 while Karl Burke’s Swissterious has attracted market support into a best 7/1.
SUMMER DAYDREAM has only run twice and, after making a winning debut in impressive fashion at Carlisle, caught the eye in an Ayr Group 3 two weeks ago when not given a hard time in the closing stages. Stall three may well turn out to be a good draw compared to that of most of her market rivals and the 16/1 with Unibet is good value. Strict Tempo is a general 10/1 and the best of Andrew Balding’s pair near the foot of the weights.
Two-Year-Old Trophy Current Best Odds
Vintage Brut 6/1, Red Balloons and Swissterious 7/1, Strict Tempo 10/1, Rathbone 11/1, Beat Le Bon, Kodyanna and Que Amoro 12/1, Alfie Solomons 14/1, Summer Daydream and Pass The Gin 16/1, Orange Blossom 18/1, Wasntexpectingthat and James Watt 20/1, Lightning Attack 33/1, Finoah and Howzer Black 40/1, Caballero and Ginvincible 50/1, Canal Rocks 66/1, Mayfair Spirit and Mac Ailey 100/1, Ugo Gregory 150/1
(Odds Correct at 10.30am October 5)
