Another prestigious British racecourse is getting ready to close its flat racing season, but before that the horse racing enthusiasts are in for one final treat at the Doncaster racing venue.
This upcoming weekend, Friday, 24 October and Saturday, 25 October, Doncaster Racecourse will open its gates to the participants and spectators of the Futurity Trophy 2025. The Each Way Extra Handicap Stakes will be the first race to begin the meeting, while The Free Digital Racecard At Raceday-Ready.Com Handicap Stakes will close the event, simultaneously closing the flat race season at Doncaster.
The headline race, the Futurity Trophy, will take place on the second day of the meeting.
The Doncaster Racecourse is well known for holding a number of important races throughout the flat season. The names include St. Leger Festival, Britain’s oldest Classic Race, and The Doncaster Cup. During the summer season, which lasts from March to November, it hosts two out of Britain’s 36 Group 1 flat races: St Leger Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy. And though the summer season is coming to an end, the Doncaster Racecourse stays open in winter too, offering jump races from late November to March.
If visiting the Doncaster Racecourse during the flat race season is on your calendar this year, doing it during the Futurity Trophy meeting can be a very good idea.
Key Dates & Timings
Futurity Trophy 2025 will be conducted in the third week of October and last for two days. The race meeting will include 14 races, evenly distributed over the course of the event. Day one is known as the Futurity Trophy Friday, while day two is referred to as Futurity Trophy Saturday.
Day One: Futurity Trophy Friday
- When: Friday, 24 October 2025
- Gate opening: 11:33 am
- First race: 1:33 pm
- Last race: 5:03 pm
Day Two: Futurity Trophy Saturday
- When: Saturday, 25 October 2025
- Gate opening: 11:30 am
- First race: 1:30 pm
- Headline race: 2:05 pm
- Last race: 5:00 pm
Friday, 24 October
Going: heavy (soft in places)
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 1:33 pm | THE WILLIAM HILL EACH WAY EXTRA HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) | 6f 2y | 3YO+ £30,000.00 Rating 86-105 |
| 2:08 pm | THE BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF MAIDEN STAKES (CLASS 2) (GBB/GBBPLUS RACE) | 1m | 2YO £40,000.00 |
| 2:43 pm | THE JOIN CENTURY RACING CLUB TODAY EBF MAIDEN FILLIES’ STAKES (CLASS 5) (GBB RACE) | 7f 6y | 2YO £6,800.00 |
| 3:18 pm | THE WILLIAM HILL BEST ODDS GUARANTEED HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) | 7f 6y | 3YO+ £30,000.00 Rating 86-105 |
| 3:53 pm | THE WILLIAM HILL EXTRA PLACES WITH B.O.G NURSERY HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 3) | 6f 2y | 2YO £15,000.00 Rating 0-95 |
| 4:28 pm | THE FINAL ONE STANDING BY WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 4) | 6f 2y | 3YO+ £10,800.00 Rating 66-85 |
| 5:03 pm | THE WILLIAM HILL KEEP YOUR RACEDAY POSITIVE HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 5) | 1m 2f 64y
(1m 2f 43y +21y) |
3YO+ £8,400.00 Rating 56-75 |
Saturday, 25 October
Going: heavy (soft in places)
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 1:30 pm | THE SKILL STEP GROUP HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) | 5f 3y | 3YO+ £50,000.00 Rating 86-105 |
| 2:05 pm | THE Futurity Trophy STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 1) | 1m | 2YO £200,000.00 |
| 2:40 pm | THE WILLIAM HILL PROSPECT STAKES (CLASS 1) (Listed Race) (REGISTERED AS THE DONCASTER STAKES) | 6f 2y | 2YO £50,000.00 |
| 3:15 pm | THE SKY SPORTS RACING SKY 415 NURSERY HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 3) | 7f 6y | 2YO £22,000.00 Rating 0-90 |
| 3:50 pm | THE WILLIAM HILL EACH WAY EXTRA HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 3) | 1m | 3YO+ £25,000.00 Rating 76-95 |
| 4:25 pm | THE WILLIAM HILL BEST ODDS GUARANTEED HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (GBBPLUS RACE) | 1m 2f 64y
(1m 2f 43y +21y) |
3YO+ £45,000.00 Rating 86-105 |
| 5:00 pm | THE FREE DIGITAL RACECARD AT raceday-ready.com HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 4) | 7f 6y | 3YO+ £22,000.00 Rating 61-80 |
Headline Race at the Futurity Trophy
The Futurity Trophy 2025 includes 14 races distributed over 2 days of the event, 7 races per day. The variety of conditions, tracks, and runners will make sure that every Doncaster Racecourse visitor stays engaged during the event.
Keep Your Day Positive Handicap Stakes (Friday, 24 October)
While the first day of the meeting doesn’t include a headline race, this race currently has the most announced runners. It is a Class 5 flat horse race that accepts horses of both genders aged three years or older. It is run over the distance of 1m 2f 43y.
Currently, there are 15 runners announced to compete in this year’s race, but this number may change before the day of the race. Jockeys for the race have been confirmed.
The current full list of contenders, their jockeys, and trainers runs as follows:
- Tele Red (age 8, jockey Jack Nicholls, trainer Karl Burke)
- Amancio (age 4, jockey Charles Bishop, trainer Faye Bramley)
- Pearl Eye (age 5, jockey Jason Hart, trainer Gay Kelleway)
- Croeso Cymraeg (age 11, jockey Archie Young, trainer James Evans)
- Whatcombe (age 3, jockey Cieren Fallon, trainer Faye Bramley)
- Time Tells All (age 5, jockey Paul Mulrennan, trainer Declan Carroll)
- Ninth Life (age 5, jockey James Sullivan, trainer Ruth Carr)
- Harswell Ruby (age 3, jockey Kevin Stott, trainer Roger Fell)
- Ghost Story (age 4, jockey Neil Callan, trainer John Butler)
- Lola Moon (age 3, jockey Hector Crouch, trainer Alan King)
- Pisanello (age 8, jockey Mark Winn, trainer David O’Meara)
- Four Fifty (age 3, jockey Tom Eaves, trainer Craig Lidster)
- Star Cast (age 3, jockey Warren Fentiman, trainer Gemma Tutty)
- Lesrico (age 5, jockey Ben Ffrench Davis, trainer Lisa Williamson)
- Red Derek (age 9, jockey Rhys Elliott, trainer Lisa Williamson)
Futurity Trophy Stakes (Saturday, 25 October)
The Futurity Trophy Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race that accepts both colts and fillies aged two years. It is run over the distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres).
The race was established in 1961 under the name of Timeform Gold Cup. It is currently the closing Group 1 event of the flat season in Britain.
Currently, there are 13 runners announced to compete in this year’s race, but this number may change before the day of the race. Some of the jockeys have been confirmed, while others are still awaiting confirmation.
The current full list of contenders, their jockeys, and trainers runs as follows:
- Action (age 2, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Benvenuto Cellini (age 2, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Cape Orator (age 2, jockey Hector Crouch, trainer Ralph Beckett)
- Dorset (age 2, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Frescobaldi (age 2, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Hawk Mountain (age 2, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Item (age 2, jockey Colin Keane, trainer Andrew Balding)
- New Zealand (age 2, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Oxagon (age 2, jockey Oisin Murphy, trainer John & Thady Gosden)
- Piazza San Marco (age 2, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Pierre Bonnard (age 2, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Port Of Spain (age 2, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Rochfortbridge (age 2, jockey Oisin McSweeney, trainer Adrian Keatley)
Betting at the Futurity Trophy
If you would like to engage in horse race betting during the meeting, you will have the opportunity to place bets both online and directly at the course. Despite being a relatively young event, Futurity Trophy attracts a lot of interest from punters as well as bookmakers.
Odds on various betting markets can be found on most major and smaller bookmaking platforms that include horse racing.
At 7bet, we offer a wide range of horse race betting markets both for domestic and international events.
Please note that odds for the Futurity Trophy will be available closer to the event date.
Betting at the Futurity Trophy includes various horse betting markets, with some of the most popular ones being:
- Win: If you think you have spotted the horse that will outrun all its rivals and finish first, you can place a wager on it. Should your prediction be correct, your wager will bring you a payout proportional to the offered odds and your stake size.
- Place: If your favourite horse seems to be running against equally strong opponents, you can lower your risk a bit by betting on placement instead of the winner. This means that your horse has to come to the finish line within the winning top. This is usually top two to top four, depending on how many runners have entered the race. If your horse takes any place within the winning top, you will qualify for a payout.
- First Two (or First Three): If you want to bet on more than one horse in one race, you may want to consider this betting market. Not only will you have to name the first two or the first three winning horses (depending on the bookmaker) but also the correct order in which they will finish the race. All the horses you are betting on have to come to the finish line in the order you specified, for your wager to win.
- Two From Three: This bet is somewhat similar to the previous one in that you place your wager on several horses in one race, however it implies slightly lower risks. You will have to name two horses that will come to the finish line within the top three. An advantage that you have here is that they can come in any order as long as they fall into the top three, your wager will still qualify for a payout.
Always remember to gamble responsibly and treat betting as a form of entertainment and not means for financial gain.
How to Buy Tickets
The Doncaster Racecourse will be offering tickets to three enclosures for the Futurity Trophy: the Grandstand Enclosure, the County Enclosure, and the Premier Enclosure. Prices for each vary between the two days of the event. Visitors are encouraged to buy Saturday tickets in advance, as the price might go up on the day of the event.
The Grandstand Enclosure is the most affordable one. It sells at £23 per person on Friday and £32.50 per person on Saturday. For the day of the Futurity Trophy Stakes groups of 10 or more people can buy tickets at a discounted price of £27.50.
You will get to watch the entire heat of the races and also have access to the Pre-Parade Ring and Parade Ring, enjoy food at the Grandstand catering venues and public bars, and visit the main betting hall and outlets.
Tickets for the County Enclosure start at £33 per person on Friday and £42.50 per person on Saturday, with a discount price of £37.50 for groups over 10 people.
While this ticket allows you to watch all races and live entertainment, you will also have access to all catering and betting facilities on the territory of the enclosure. On top of that, you can also visit the Champagne Lawn, provided the weather allows that. You are free to check out the Grandstand area as well.
And last but not least, the Premier Enclosure offers tickets for £51 per person on Friday and £73.50 per person on Saturday. There are no large group discounts for this ticket on any day.
The Premier Enclosure gives you an exclusive view of the finishing line, so you can be the first to see the winners. Apart from that, you get access to all catering and betting facilities. You can also enter the Grandstand Enclosure and the County Enclosure.
While the Doncaster Racecourse doesn’t maintain a strict dress code for the event, guests are encouraged to follow a smart casual style and stay away from sportswear or ripped jeans. Some of the restaurants might require a more sophisticated attire. Most importantly, visitors must take the weather into consideration and dress appropriately to stay comfortable throughout the day. Children are free to wear any outfits unless they are entering the Premier Enclosure or Home Straight Restaurant.
The Doncaster Racecourse offers plenty of catering venues in each enclosure, however, if you would like to elevate your experience at the race, you are welcome to purchase a hospitality ticket. Not only will you be treated to a refined cuisine but you will also get access to all public areas, including the Grandstand Enclosure, the County Enclosure, and the Premier Enclosure.
If you would like to watch the races in a more private environment, you are offered two private suite packages on Saturday. They offer brilliant views of the racecourse, as well as various dining and welcome drink options depending on the package you choose. You can also visit any public area on the ground at any moment.
Travel & Transport Guide
The Futurity Trophy is conducted at the Doncaster Racecourse located at the following address: Bawtry Rd, Doncaster DN2 6BB, United Kingdom. You can reach your destination by various means of transportation from different directions.
By Car
The Doncaster Racecourse is well connected to the motorway network. You can get here from different directions via M1 (Junction 32), M18 (Junctions 3 & 4), A1M (Junction 36), and M62. Guests are offered parking free of charge on the days of the meeting. Visitors are welcome to park their vehicles in Car Park C, while Car Park A is reserved for race participants, annual members, press, and certain categories of guests.
By Bus
Shuttle bus service is available on race days. Buses run between the Doncaster Racecourse and Doncaster Interchange. The first run from the Interchange is approximately timed with the gate opening, while the last one will depart about 30 minutes before the start of the first race.
Return trips start after the penultimate race. You will have a chance to catch a shuttle until approximately one hour after the end of the last race, or the after race entertainment arrangements if any are scheduled. Fare is £3 for a single journey and £5 for a return.
By Air
If you prefer air travel, you will find that the Doncaster Racecourse is easily accessible from a number of airports. The closest one, the Doncaster Sheffield Airport, is located only 7 miles away. Other convenient destinations would be Manchester, Leeds Bradford, and East Midlands airports.
Futurity Trophy Past Winners
As the Futurity Trophy was inaugurated in 1961, it might still not have winner records as extensive as some other British flat races, but it definitely includes some renowned names of horses, jockeys, and trainers that took victory home. The horses who won the Futurity Trophy in the past 25 years since 2000 were the following:
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 2000 | Dilshaan | Johnny Murtagh | Sir Michael Stoute | Saeed Suhail |
| 2001 | High Chaparral | Kevin Darley | Aidan O’Brien | Tabor / Magnier |
| 2002 | Brian Boru | Kevin Darley | Aidan O’Brien | Sue Magnier |
| 2003 | American Post | Christophe Soumillon | Criquette Head-Maarek | Khalid Abdullah |
| 2004 | Motivator | Kieren Fallon | Michael Bell | Royal Ascot Racing Club |
| 2005 | Palace Episode | Neil Callan | Kevin Ryan | Theresa Marnane |
| 2006 | Authorized | Frankie Dettori | Peter Chapple-Hyam | Al Homaizi / Al Sagar |
| 2007 | Ibn Khaldun | Kerrin McEvoy | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin |
| 2008 | Crowded House | Jamie Spencer | Brian Meehan | Reddam / Burrell / Harvey |
| 2009 | St Nicholas Abbey | Johnny Murtagh | Aidan O’Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor |
| 2010 | Casamento | Frankie Dettori | Michael Halford | Sheikh Mohammed |
| 2011 | Camelot | Joseph O’Brien | Aidan O’Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor |
| 2012 | Kingsbarns | Joseph O’Brien | Aidan O’Brien | Magnier / Tabor / Smith |
| 2013 | Kingston Hill | Andrea Atzeni | Roger Varian | Paul D Smith |
| 2014 | Elm Park | Andrea Atzeni | Andrew Balding | Qatar Racing & Kingsclere Racing |
| 2015 | Marcel | Andrea Atzeni | Peter Chapple-Hyam | Paul Hancock |
| 2016 | Rivet | Andrea Atzeni | William Haggas | The Starship Partnership |
| 2017 | Saxon Warrior | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor |
| 2018 | Magna Grecia | Donnacha O’Brien | Aidan O’Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor / Flaxman |
| 2019 | Kameko | Oisin Murphy | Andrew Balding | Qatar Racing Ltd |
| 2020 | Mac Swiney | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | Jackie Bolger |
| 2021 | Luxembourg | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor / Westerberg |
| 2022 | Auguste Rodin | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | Tabor / Smith / Magnier / Westerberg |
| 2023 | Ancient Wisdom | William Buick | Charlie Appleby | Godolphin |
| 2024 | Hotazhell | Shane Foley | Jessica Harrington | Silverton Hill Partnership |
Trained by Jessica Harrington and led in the race by Shane Foley, bay colt Hotazhell was running his maiden season when he won the Futurity Trophy in 2024.
While in his very first race he was placed fourth, during the remainder of the season he bagged four wins, including the Futurity Trophy, and one second place.
Futurity Trophy Records
As the Futurity Trophy race is only open to two year old colts and fillies, each horse only gets one shot at winning the competition and securing a spot on the list of winners. However, jockeys and trainers, as well as horse owners are more than welcome to participate more than once. Some of them have set the record by bagging several wins at the race throughout their career.
- Leading jockey: Lester Piggott (Ribocco 1966, Noble Decree 1972, Apalachee 1973, Dunbeath 1982, Lanfranco 1984) and Pat Eddery (Sporting Yankee 1976, Dactylographer 1977, Beldale Flutter 1980, Reference Point 1986, Armiger 1992), both with 5 wins
- Leading trainer: Aidan O’Brien with 11 wins (Saratoga Springs 1997, Aristotle 1999, High Chaparral 2001, Brian Boru 2002, St Nicholas Abbey 2009, Camelot 2011, Kingsbarns 2012, Saxon Warrior 2017, Magna Grecia 2018, Luxembourg 2021, Auguste Rodin 2022)
- Leading owner: Sue Magnier with 10 wins (Aristotle 1999, High Chaparral 2001, Brian Boru 2002, St Nicholas Abbey 2009, Camelot 2011, Kingsbarns 2012, Saxon Warrior 2017, Magna Grecia 2018, Luxembourg 2021, Auguste Rodin 2022)
Betting is only available to participants above 18 years. Please bet responsibly. BeGambleAware.org