Giant Sequoia romps in Futurity Trophy at Doncaster

Oct 24, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Giant Sequoia rebounded in the Futurity Trophy (Photo courtesy of Doncaster Racecourse)

Irish training legend Aidan O’Brien won the Futurity Trophy (G1) at Doncaster for a record-extending 13th time on Saturday, but not with the favorite, Noble Exhibit. Instead, it was another Ballydoyle colt, Giant Sequoia, who upstaged his stablemates with a three-length victory.

A Kentucky homebred for John Stewart’s Resolute Racing, campaigned in partnership with Coolmore and Westerberg, Giant Sequoia earned 10 points on the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby.

While the blueblood son of Frankel did indeed enhance his profile as a classic contender, he’s a natural for the original Derby (G1) at Epsom in June rather than Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. Giant Sequoia’s mother, Pink Dogwood, just missed by a neck in the 2019 Epsom Oaks (G1) and placed third in the Irish Oaks (G1).

Both of Giant Sequoia’s grandsires are Epsom Derby heroes – Frankel’s sire, Galileo, starred in 2001, and Pink Dogwood is by Camelot, who came close to completing an historic English Triple Crown sweep in 2012.

Pink Dogwood is a full sister to Latrobe, winner of the 2018 Irish Derby (G1). She hails from the immediate family of this year’s Irish Derby victor Benvenuto Cellini, who is pre-entered in next Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Keeneland.

Giant Sequoia broke his maiden impressively over Irish Derby weekend at the Curragh, and he returned over the same course and seven-furlong distance to capture his stakes debut in the Futurity (G2). Expected to be a main player in the Vincent O’Brien National (G1) during the Irish Champions Festival, Giant Sequoia wound up a subpar sixth.

Bettors held that loss against him here, but Giant Sequoia had an excuse. It turned out that he was under the weather from a bug going around Ballydoyle at the time. A healthy Giant Sequoia was a totally different proposition at Doncaster on Saturday.

Noble Exhibit was favored because Coolmore’s go-to rider, Ryan Moore, stuck with him following his win in the Beresford (G2), also a scoring race on the Euro/Mideast Road. Jockey Wayne Lordan was on stablemate Sergei Diaghilev, and Dylan Browne McMonagle picked up the mount on Giant Sequoia.

Patiently handled in the early going, Giant Sequoia settled at the back of the compact field as Sergei Diaghilev sailed forward to set the pace. The early stalkers were Burning Up, who had been second in the Euro/Mideast Road kickoff, the Royal Lodge (G2), and Gran Dia, himself tracked by Noble Exhibit.

Giant Sequoia secures his win in the William Hill Futurity Stakes! 🌹 pic.twitter.com/I2euior0et

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) October 24, 2026

When Noble Exhibit shifted out to launch his challenge, Giant Sequoia followed in his wake and soon outkicked him. The bay negotiated a mile on the straightaway in 1:42.30, reflecting the testing conditions on a heavy turf course, and returned $19.80 stateside.

Gran Dia rallied determinedly for second (five points). He was trying to lift his trainer, Andrew Balding, in his tight race with O’Brien for the British training title. While his runner-up effort helped, Balding believes that O’Brien has likely wrapped up the championship with his colts’ earnings from the Futurity Trophy.

Noble Exhibit checked in third (three points for a total of 13), followed by Burning Up in fourth (two points for a total of seven), Sergei Diaghilev in fifth (one point), Breacher, and Al Hudaiba.

Giant Sequoia’s scorecard stands at 5-3-0-1, including a third in his career debut at the Curragh. He promises to keep progressing next season, making him one to watch on the European classic trail in 2027.