The challenge to City Of Troy: where does Ancient Wisdom's Futurity success leave the 2024 Classic picture?

While there was unanimous agreement that Doncaster's staff had done a fine job in getting the Kameko Futurity Trophy on in the first place, heavy ground was always unlikely to lend itself to a winning performance that screamed Classic winner. And so it proved with Ancient Wisdom earning a provisional Racing Post Rating of 113, 1lb below that recorded by Magna Grecia in 2018 and thus the lowest mark in the last ten years. 

While Ancient Wisdom's somewhat exaggerated action in front hints he may always be at his best with some ease in the ground, very few high-class Flat horses operate at their optimum in such extreme conditions. And while he was well on top at the end, it was notable that, having made all to just over halfway, Ancient Wisdom was briefly relegated to third by Devil's Point and Dancing Gemini when they got racing before grinding back through the gears to win going away from two rivals who had each only won a maiden.

Ancient Wisdom is too good for the rest at DoncasterCredit: Alan Crowhurst

That RPR of 113 means he has 11lb to find with City Of Troy and, given he has already run five times this season, it will be asking a lot of Ancient Wisdom to bridge that gap if the presumptive European champion two-year-old continues to progress during the winter.

However, he is only 4lb shy of Middle Park and Morny winner Vandeek – who is best of the rest and surely destined for sprinting – and right in among those who could profit at a mile and beyond should City Of Troy's three-year-old career not prove a prosperous one. 

Also in that bracket is Diego Velazquez, who clearly hated the conditions and was unsuited by slow early fractions on Town Moor, and he needs to be seen again. But even more significantly, Ancient Wisdom's sole defeat came against Rosallion at Ascot back in July. That's a piece of form that has already been bolstered on numerous occasions, not least when the winner himself took the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc weekend. 

Qipco 2,000 Guineas (May 4, 2024)
Sky Bet: 10-11 City Of Troy, 5 Henry Longfellow, 12 Rosallion, 14 Ancient Wisdom, Alyanaabi 16 Ghostwriter, River Tiber, Taskforce, 18 Arabian Crown, 20 bar

Betfred Derby (June 1, 2024)
Betfair: 9-4 City Of Troy, 6 Ancient Wisdom, Henry Longfellow, 12 Arabian Crown, 20 Diego Velazquez, Ghostwriter, Los Angeles, 25 bar

Read more:

Ancient Wisdom slashed for Derby after Futurity success and will be 'even better' next year according to William Buick 

'I was always going to win today' - Rosallion team eye next year's 2,000 Guineas after breakthrough top-level win 

Aidan O'Brien says City Of Troy is the best two-year-old he's trained - could he really be Coolmore's Frankel? 

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