The last juvenile Group I in the UK this year went the way of Godolphin with €2million Arqana purchase Ancient Wisdom taking out the Group I Kameko Futurity Trophy (1m) at Doncaster to become the eighth G1 winner this year for champion sire Dubawi.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Ancient Wisdom had won three of four previous starts with his lone defeat at the hands of subsequent Group I winning Blue Point colt Rosallion.
He pulled clear for a length and three-quarter win and heads for a winter break with four wins from five starts.
“We know Ancient Wisdom stays and the plan was always to be handy. Charlie always had this race slightly in the back of his mind, but he wanted to see how the horse was, and he's been pleasing him and we know he handles soft ground so we gave it a shot,” said Alex Merriam, assistant trainer.
“He's very exciting. I think he'll be a horse who's going to want a trip next year. We've obviously got a very good one (City of Troy) to beat in the Guineas so we'll see how he progresses over the winter and see how we go.”
The second highest priced yearling sold at Arqana Deauville August last year, Ancient Wisdom is the best of two winners from Group III winning Dalakhani mare Golden Valentine from the family of European Horse of the Year Goldikova.
He is the 57th Group I winner for Darley’s champion sire Dubawi and the fifth for Dalakhani as a broodmare sire.
