Teofilo can outbox Trinity College

The €300,000 Tattersalls Sales Stakes may be today's most valuable pot at the Curragh but it's the Group Two Galileo Futurity…

The €300,000 Tattersalls Sales Stakes may be today's most valuable pot at the Curragh but it's the Group Two Galileo Futurity that is almost invariably a major stepping stone to future top-flight success and Teofilo can prove an entirely appropriate winner this time.

The Jim Bolger-trained colt is after all a son of Galileo but in two successful starts to date he has done nothing to suggest he might not in time be up to the standard of previous Futurity winners like Oratorio (2004), Hawk Wing (2001) and Giant's Causeway (1999.) There is an obvious link to the latter in the shape of Trinity College who is Kieren Fallon's pick from an Aidan O'Brien-trained trio and the connection has already been remarked upon after just one run.

There was enough in Trinity College's Cork debut to provoke Fallon into remarking the colt may yet prove to be as good as his sire and he is already as low as 16 to 1 for next year's 2,000 Guineas.

Teofilo is available at double those odds but he has impressed as a tough and classy operator who looked to have improved significantly for his Curragh debut in the Tyros Stakes.

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The likes of Ferneley, Finicius and the Anglesey winner Regional Counsel are all decent types but this could turn into a Teofilo versus Trinity College clash with the Bolger runner proving the heavyweight.

No Irish-trained horse has won the valuable sales prize since the Aidan O'Brien-trained No Animosity in 1995 but that could change with Howya Now Kid.

Johnny Murtagh's ride was edged out by Hammers Boy over seven furlongs at Galway which was a very different proposition to his previous start when successful over five furlongs at Down Royal. This trip should be ideal for Howya Now Kid.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column