Group 1 Futurity Trophy to carry Kameko name

Arena Racing Company (“ARC”), Doncaster Racecourse and Qatar Racing are delighted to announce a new partnership with the sponsorship of the 2023 KAMEKO Futurity Trophy.

The final Group One of the British Flat season consistently sees the most successful two-year-olds from Britain and Ireland compete over a mile, with this year’s Derby, Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes Winner Auguste Rodin the Futurity Trophy’s latest successful graduate.

Recent Futurity Trophy winners Magna Grecia and Kameko both went on to victories in the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Fittingly, Qatar Racing’s support will see the race run under the KAMEKO Futurity Trophy banner acknowledging his record when winning the sole running of a Group 1 race on the All Weather in British racing history, smashing the 2yo track record at Newcastle in the 2019 renewal. KAMEKO re-entered the record books the following year when winning the fastest ever running of the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas.

Qatar Racing’s silks were also carried to success in the Futurity Trophy by 2014 winner Elm Park, while Roaring Lion was a narrow second in the 2017 running before becoming world champion three-year-old the next year.

The 2023 KAMEKO Futurity Trophy, worth £200,000, is once again set to be a top-class race, with 66 entries including Aidan O’Brien’s unbeaten 5-length Group 1 National Stakes winner Henry Longfellow. The race will be broadcast live on Saturday 28 October by both Sky Sports Racing and ITV Racing.

David Redvers, Qatar Racing’s bloodstock and racing manager and owner of Tweenhills, said: “We are delighted to be able to support the 2023 KAMEKO Futurity Trophy; a race that consistently provides one of the highlights of the Flat season by whetting the appetite for the following year’s Classics.

“KAMEKO, victorious in the 2019 renewal, went on to British Classic success in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas in race record time and stands at Tweenhills in Gloucestershire. His first yearlings have been selling superbly well at the yearling sales this autumn and we cannot wait to see his first crop of two-year-olds hit the racetrack next year.

“The KAMEKO Futurity Trophy Gr.1 showcases some of the best Classic prospects in Europe, and we look forward to working with the team at Doncaster Racecourse and Arena Racing Company Group on this fantastic new partnership.”

Group Director of Commercial Strategy and Partnerships at ARC, David Leyden Dunbar, said, “Qatar Racing continue to be tremendous supporters of British Racing and we are delighted to secure their support of what is one of the highlights of the season at Doncaster. Kameko will always have a special connection with the race as 2019’s renewal, run at Newcastle Racecourse and won by Kameko, remains the only British Group 1 race to be run on an artificial surface. Our thanks go to them and the entire team at Qatar Racing for their support.”

Tickets are available for the Group 1 Kameko Futurity Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday 28 October. Please visit www.doncaster-racecourse.co.uk for more information.