Events / Malcolm Pannett / 19 October 2009 / Leave a comment

The Racing Post Trophy, run over a mile at Doncaster, is the last domestic Group 1 race of the Flat season. The two-year-old test has thrown up many Classic pointers over the years and has produced three Derby winners in the last decade. Malcolm Pannett investigates...

"Motivator went on to win the Derby from Walk In The Park and Dubawi and in doing so netted the first prize of £725,000. Although the victory greatly pleased the numerous members of the Royal Ascot Racing Club, who owned Motivator, due to a decision by the club executive it didn’t make them any richer. A point that one club member – the late great Clement Freud - humorously banged home weekly in his Racing Post column"

Inaugurated as the Timeform Gold Cup, in 1961, the race immediately threw up Classic clues for the following season with two of the contestants in the first running going on to win the Derby and St Leger, namely Larkspur and Hethersett.

The winner though was the Harry Wragg-trained Miraglo who subsequently finished third behind Hethersett in the St Leger then a season later won the Hardwicke Stakes and finished runner up in both the Eclipse and the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. It was a perfect start for a race that was designed, by Timeform founder Phil Bull, to give an opportunity to the later maturing potential middle-distance horses that were not ready to compete in some of the more traditional trials.

The second running produced a winner that went on to Classic glory - that horse was Noblesse (1963). The following June the daughter of Mossborough waltzed away from Spree at Epsom to land the Oaks by an impressive ten lengths.

The name of the race was changed to the Observer Gold Cup in 1965 and the Classic winners kept on coming with Ribocco (1966) winning the Irish Derby and St Leger after being runner-up to Royal Palace in the Derby; High Top (1971) triumphant in the hands of Willie Carson before capturing the 2000 Guineas at the expense of subsequent Derby-winner Roberto; Green Dancer (1974) who was first home in the Poule Dessai des Poulains, the French equivalent of the 2000 Guineas.

Vaguely Noble, who was successful in 1967, went on to take the Arc the following year and also sired 1976-winner Sporting Yankee who became the first winner under the new William Hill Futurity banner.

In 1987 the race produced its first winner that went on to Derby success. Reference Point not only stormed home ahead of Most Welcome to land the blue riband but followed up in the Eclipse, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and St Leger to become one of the great horses of the era.

Two years later the name changed to the current title and since then High Chaparral (2001); Motivator (2004) (see below) and Authorized (2006) have replicated Reference Point's feat in completing the Racing Post Trophy/Derby double.

Other notable winners include; Pretendre (1965) winner of the King Edward VII Stakes after finishing second to Charlottown in the Derby; Linden Tree (1970) winner of the Chester Vase and runner-up to Mill Reef in the Derby; King's Theatre (1993) second to Erhaab in the Derby and then winner of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes; Celtic Swing (1994) who went on to famously win the Prix du Jockey Club, the French equivalent of the Derby, having sidestepped the Epsom original after finishing second to Pennekamp in the 2000 Guineas; Brian Boru (2003) who won the St Leger; and American Post (2003) who won the Poule Dessai des Poulains.

Placed horses who went on to glory include wide-margin Derby-winner Shergar (second to Beldale Flutter in 1980); St Leger-winner Julio Mariner (second to Dactlyographer in 1977); and short-head Derby-winner Benny The Dip (third to Medaaly in 1996).

The 1989 race, won by Be My Chief, was run at Newcastle after the Doncaster course suffered from subsidence. While the 2006 renewal, won by Authorized, took place at Newbury while Doncaster was being redeveloped.

25 years ago - The Lester Piggott-ridden Lanfranco held Damister's late run by three parts of a length and in doing so sealed a fifth trainers' title for Henry Cecil after a close battle with John Dunlop. The son of Relko, in the black and white colours of Charles St George, tracked Great Reef until kicking on with just over a quarter of a mile to travel. Piggott's shrewd move paid dividends as Damister, who was tapped for toe when the long fellow injected the speed, rapidly closed the gap in the closing stages without ever looking like getting up. Lanfranco went on to win the Predominate Stakes and King Edward VII Stakes as well as finishing third to fillies' Triple Crown-winner Oh So Sharp in the St Leger.

10 years ago - A one-two for Aidan O'Brien with 10/1-shots Our Aristotle and Lermontov. The latter, along with Optimaite, led for most of the way until being passed by Ekraar, also 10/1, three furlongs out. Our Aristotle who had initially been outpaced when Ekraar went through stayed on well under George Duffield to collar them both winning by a length-and-a-quarter with Lermontov getting back up to snatch back the runner's up spot close home. After finishing down the filed in Sinndar's Derby Our Aristotle became a regular at Kranji racecourse in Japan and finished second in the Singapore Derby.

Five years ago - Having won his maiden by an easy six lengths it was no surprise that Motivator was sent of favourite at Doncaster. Michael Bell's charge, under Kieren Fallon, made smooth headway to lead approaching the quarter-mile post staying on strongly to win by two-and-a-half lengths from second-favourite Albert Hall. Motivator went on to win the Derby from Walk In The Park and Dubawi and in doing so netted the first prize of £725,000. Although the victory greatly pleased the numerous members of the Royal Ascot Racing Club, who owned Motivator, due to a decision by the club executive it didn't make them any richer. A point that one club member - the late great Clement Freud - humorously banged home weekly in his Racing Post column.

Last year - Brian Meehan's Crowded House zoomed home despite hanging badly at a crucial stage. Set Sail made the running until nearly the two-furlong pole where the hold up horses closed in causing congestion. Favourite Jukebox Jury and Skanky Biscuit were both inhibited in Crowded House's wake as, after being switched to get a run, he veered left in front of them. Once the son of Rainbow Quest straightened up he engaged turbo puling away to win by a cosy three-and-a-half lengths and was allowed to keep the race after the ensuing Stewards' Inquiry. Crowded House was the first English-trained horses home in this year's Derby finishing sixth behind Sea The Stars and Aidan O'Brien's quartet

Tags: Authorized, Crowded House, High Chaparral, Lanfranco, Miraglo, Motivator, Noblesse, Our Aristotle, Reference Point, Vaguely Noble