Stormbuster is prepared to face off against Vertem Futurity

Stormbuster, trained by Andrew Balding, is about to compete in the Gr.1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster. After four tries, the son of Dubawi finally broke his maiden in a difficult Newbury conditions race, defeating the likes of Highbank and Classic by five lengths. The colt will be well prepared for Saturday's trip to Town Moor, where he will have a clear idea of how he should be campaigned in the upcoming season based on his performance.

“He ran at Salisbury and it was a decent effort. But he came back and was a different horse, imposing in his physique as opposed to previously when he went through a growth spurt and got a bit hollow,” said David Bowe, racing manager for Stormbuster’s owner, Jeff Smith.

On what distance Stormbuster’s best trip might be, David Bowe said: “I think he could be a mile-and-a-quarter horse and ultimately a mile and a half maybe, I don’t know. There is a lot of stamina in the pedigree, and we will have to see, but at the moment I think stepping up in trip is the way we will be going with him rather than coming back in trip.”