Early-closing system to blame for O’Brien domination of Vertem Futurity, not trainers, says NTF chief Ralph Beckett

RALPH Beckett has slammed the early-closing system and stuck up for his colleagues after Aidan O'Brien runners dominated Saturday's Vertem Futurity Trophy.

It emerged yesterday that 11 of the 12 horses still in contention for the Group 1 race were from Ballydoyle, sparking an angry reaction on social media at the lack of British representation.

Andrew Balding's Kameko is the only horse standing in the way of the O'Brien juggernaut in the £200,000 contest, which is the final Group 1 of the British season.

But Classic-winner Beckett, who is also the joint-president of the National Trainers Federation (NTF), said his fellow trainers were not to blame for the unsatisfactory line-up.

He told Sun Racing: "The problem has got several layers. The NTF have voiced the opinion in the past that the major two-year-old pattern races close much too early.

"There is a very obvious parallel this weekend. The Criterium International and the Criterium de Saint Cloud close on October 9, a month after the Futurity which closes on September 10.

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"Although Vertem's sponsorship of the race is extremely welcome, the reality is that racecourses are funding some of the prize money in the major early-closing two-year-old races through the entry system.

"You have to pay £500 to enter on September 10, then another £800 on October 10 to stay in the race.

"That's £1300 already, then you have to pay another £600 on Monday to stay in at the five-day stage.

"So is it any surprise that there are only 34 horses left in after the first forfeit stage on October 10?