Future King: Winning Favour

If you follow racing long enough you will soon become accustomed to the hype that surrounds the well bred, good looking types. And it tends to grow quicker than an Andrew Hore moustache if they can show some talent. Only on rare occasions does the end result match the build-up, but in the case of the unashamedly named Future King, local racing may have it's long awaited version of Sonny Bill Williams.

Amongst a number of impressive performances at Ellerslie on Saturday, none were superior than that put up by Future King in winning the Hyland Race Colours 1100

History will more than likely show that he only beat a bunch of lower grade sprinters, although that maybe doing a disservice to the promising Schooner Bay, but it was the manner in which the overtly handsome entire son of Encosta De Lago put paid to the field at the 200m that left an edilable impression.

What was visually powerful, was also supported by the clock, which showed the event run faster than the corresponding event for the R85 sprinters and a last 600m off the front in 34.10. Future King came from third last at the 400m and was clearly eased up by rider Vinnie Colgan over the final 100m, so he must have comfortably broken the telling 34 second mark.

Unfortunately Future King is unsound. It is speculation whether but for those problems he would be unbeaten after four career starts, but when you see him win like that on Saturday and watch the way he won at Taupo in September, it is difficult to fathom how he was beaten into second and third at his two other starts.

As a type Future King is a lovely blend of his sire and his dam, Foxwood - a dual group one winning daughter of Centaine. He is not built in the manner of the taller and longer Encosta De Lago's like Sirmione, Lashed, Road to Rock or Princess Coup. Instead he reminds one on type of a slightly shorter version of the muscular Von Costa De Hero, a talented racehorse and Australian based freshman sire who was probably Encosta De Lago's quickest son until Northern Meteor came along. There is also some physical resemblance to his barn mate, He's Remarkable.

Future King has the speed to win a Group One Telegraph Handicap and going on Saturday s performance he may also have the class. With his regal pedigree and looks, such success would guarantee him a home at a very good stud.

As a bull he has an ability to put weight on his suspect frame easily so trainer Roger James has an even bigger challenge than the one he endured throughout the career of arguably the most talented horse he has trained to date, Zonda. James coped admirably with that geldings afflictions and as a high class, patient conditioner he is well suited to nurse Future King through to that elusive group one victory.