O’brien aiming for his ninth Vertem victory
Magna Grecia is maturing nicely
Magna Grecia can continue Aidan O’brien’s dominance of the Vertem Futurity Trophy by taking the final Group One race of the domestic season at Doncaster.
O’brien has captured this prestigious prize eight times, with such future stars as High Chaparral, Camelot and Saxon Warrior last year to be just two behind the record set by the late Sir Henry Cecil.
As usual, the Ballydoyle trainer had plenty to choose from to represent him – and Magna Grecia looks the pick of the bunch.
The Invincible Spirit colt is the type of late maturing horse that fits the bill for the Town Moor showpiece, with one eye very much on next year.
Magna Grecia made his debut only four weeks ago over seven furlongs at Navan, where he won in tidy fashion.
He had his second start two weeks later and stepped up considerably on his first effort. However, he lost out by a neck to the more experienced French raider Persian King in the Group Three Autumn Stakes. He stayed the mile well enough that day and, with plenty of improvement to come, he can go into his winter quarters as a possible Classic contender for 2019.
Atkelso’shalloweenmeeting today, Lucinda Russell relies upon Arizona Bound in the Clifford & Martin Firth Memorial Novice’s Chase.
Arizona Bound is already a winner over fences and carries the colours of Kelso Lowflyers syndicate, a group of annual members of the racecourse.
Russell also saddles Chanceiton, owned by her father Peter.
An interesting raider, and chasing debutante from the south, could be Mahler’s First from the Devon yard of Victor Dartnall.
The Ian Anderson Memorial Maiden Hurdle Race divided into two races last season and Rose Dobbin, who landed the second division with Some Reign, bids for more success with Definite Wisdom and The Hollow Chap. Inveruriebased Jackie Stephen is Britain’s most northerly trainer and she is double-handed with Captain Kurt and Starozov.
All the top stables are represented in the feature race of the day, the three-mile EDF Handicap Steeplechase, including Jonjo O’neill, Nigel Twiston -Davies, Kim Bailey, David Pipe, Donald Mccain and Nicky Richards. The highest rated horse on parade is Fergal O’brien-trained Perfect Candidate, an early casualty in last season’s Grand National who has a BHA mark of 152.
Michael Scudamore’s Mysteree was the winner of the 2017 Eider Chase at Newcastle while Tom Lacey-trained Thomas Partick was successful in Grade 3 company at Aintree last April.