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With Dylan Browne McMonagle as his jockey, Giant Sequoia was sent off at 11/1 and defeated Gran Dia, trained by Andrew Balding, with stablemate Noble Exhibit finishing third. The two-year-old covered the straight mile in 1:42.30 on heavy ground.

As Giant Sequoia proved himself as a horse to watch in next season’s Classics, O’Brien strengthened his position against Balding in the British trainers’ championship as the season comes to an end.

Patience Produces Power

7 runners lined up for the £275,000 Futurity Trophy, with O’Brien overseeing 3. His favourite, Noble Exhibit, arrived after winning the Beresford Stakes, while Giant Sequoialooked to rebound from a sixth-place finish at the Curragh in September.

Sergei Diaghilev set the pace with Burning Up, and McMonagle settled his colt to the rear before advancing as the field approached the final stages. Noble Exhibit and Ryan Moore charged in around a furlong and a half from home, but Giant Sequoia quickly joined the leaders.

Once asked to quicken, Giant Sequoia drew away for the three-length win. Gran Dia tooksecond for Balding, finishing one length ahead of Noble Exhibit. Burning Up came fourth, followed by Sergei Diaghilev, Breacher and Al Hudaiba.

The result satisfied O’Brien, who held faith in Giant Sequoia despite his previous defeat. The trainer explained that some of his horses had been under the weather during then.

“He disappointed the last day, but that was when our horses were off colour,” O’Brien said, as quoted by Sky Sports Racing. “I'm over the moon with him really, he travelled well, quickened very well and I'm delighted for everyone at home. It's a big team effort.”

A Classic Contender for 2027

The Futurity Trophy has a strong record of producing future Classic winners, and Giant Sequoia’s win immediately raised expectations for his three-year-old campaign.

O’Brien believes the colt has the physical scope and versatility to compete over a range of distances next season. By Frankel out of Pink Dogwood, a daughter of Camelot who finished second in the 2019 Epsom Oaks, Giant Sequoia has a pedigree suited for middle-distance racing.

“We always thought he was a Classic horse. We thought a mile or a mile and a quarter would be no problem, but he could get a mile and a half,” stated O’Brien, as quoted by Sky Sports Racing.

He also suggested that the colt could be suited to the 2,000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby or the French Derby, leaving options open for spring and summer 2027.

Giant Sequoia’s G1 success was also the first for McMonagle with O’Brien. The jockey praised the colt’s development throughout the season and his response to the race’s demands, while adding that the colt could learn and improve further with maturity.

“He's a horse who has developed plenty throughout the year, he's a big boy to sit on,” McMonagle said, as quoted by Sky Sports Racing. “The race worked out perfect, it was a nice even tempo and he relaxed. I felt like halfway on it was just a matter of sitting into him and he reacted quick.”