Benvenuto Cellini headlines 13 confirmations for Futurity Trophy

Impressive Leopardstown winner Benvenuto Cellini is one of nine Aidan O’Brien-trained colts still in contention for Saturday’s William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster.

The Ballydoyle handler dominates the Group One heat with last month’s Group Two winner an odds-on shot to add to his tally in a race that could also feature his Zetland Stakes-winning stablemate Pierre Bonnard.

Action, Frescobaldi, Hawk Mountain, New Zealand, Dorset, Piazza San Marco and Port Of Spain – the last three all ran on Saturday – complete O’Brien’s list in a race that has drawn 13 possibles in total.

The Andrew Balding-trained Item looks a legitimate contender being unbeaten in two starts to date but with the going currently described as soft, heavy in places, very testing ground could yet scupper his planned outing.

“Once he broke his maiden Andrew had this race in mind but he needed to get some more experience and the natural way to do that wasn’t clear, so we said we’d go for another novice on the grass and the race at Bath presented itself,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“I know the Clive Cox horse that was second (Blue Courvoisier) is well regarded but he did it well.

“Ground is obviously going to be a concern. We feel like he skipped off the all-weather pretty good and Bath was nice ground the last day, so if there was to be a lot of rain and it went testing he probably won’t run.

“There’s rain early in the week so it’s a watching brief. He’s a horse we like but he’s probably not a horse who would want a slog. Good to soft or anything like that would be fine.

“His dam (Capla Temptress) won a Grade One in America and she liked it quick, so have her other progeny.”

Ralph Beckett’s Cape Orator, John and Thady Gosden’s Oxagon and Adrian Keatley’s Rochfortbridge are the others not trained at Ballydoyle still engaged.