Kameko to star in Futurity Trophy

KAMEKO can gatecrash the Aidan O’Brien party by taking the spoils in the rearranged Vertem Futurity Trophy at Newcastle.

Connections were not only pleased the final domestic Group One of the campaign was saved after Doncaster was waterlogged on Saturday – but that it was switched to the all-weather track on Gosforth Park’s Flat course.

Kameko’s breeding suggests he is tailor-made for an artificial surface, although the form he has shown on turf so far is very smart.

After making a winning debut over seven furlongs at Sandown in July, the Andrew Balding-trained colt then flew home in the closing stages to run Positive to a nose in the Solario Stakes over the same course and distance.

Kameko was just denied Group Two success when collared close home by Royal Dornoch in the Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile at Newmarket a month ago.

The winner was from the O’Brien stable, and the Ballydoyle team will make a good fist of lifting the prize for a 10th time – with likely favourite Mogul leading their team of five, in a field of 12 which also includes Ralph Beckett’s impressive Newmarket debutant Kinross.

But the Balding camp have confidence in Kameko to deliver at the top level.

Two-year-old fillies take centre stage at Newmarket, where Lady Light can shine in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Bosra Sham’ Stakes.

Michael Bell’s daughter of Showcasing handled testing conditions really well at Yarmouth when storming home by four and a half lengths on her debut just last week.

Bell has used the Norfolk resort to good effect in the past, most noticeably when Pretty Pollyanna struck first time there before going on to Group One glory.

It would be no surprise if Lady Light turned into a star. She attracted plenty of interest at the sales, being bought for 250,000 guineas as a foal in 2017 and then changing hands for 850,000 euros as a yearling.

Raasel can make it two from two in the Heath Court Hotel bestwestern.co.uk Conditions Stakes.