Tag Archive for: Great Voltigeur Stakes

Voltigeur run could determine Los Angeles’ target

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Aidan O’Brien has added a real touch of class to the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes with the decision to supplement Irish Derby hero Los Angeles.

While losing his unbeaten record to stablemate City Of Troy in the Derby, he left Epsom with his reputation enhanced and duly added Classic glory of his own at the Curragh.

He is favourite or joint-favourite with another stablemate, Jan Brueghel, for the St Leger at Doncaster and his performance at York on Wednesday could have a bearing on where he goes next, with the Camelot colt entered in virtually every race worthy of a mention.

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore with Camelot after winning the Irish Derby
Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore with Camelot after winning the Irish Derby (Damien Eagers/PA)

“We just thought this looked the right race for him to run in, even with his penalty, so we were happy to supplement him,” said O’Brien, who will also saddle Illinois and Euphoric.

“There’s lots of places he can go after it. Obviously there’s the Leger at a mile and six, he could go up to two miles or having won the Irish Derby, he could always go back to a mile and four.

“This race might help us decide where he goes, and we’ve got Illinois in there as well who won at Ascot (Queen’s Vase) and then we took him to France when he ran a great race (Grand Prix de Paris).”

King’s Gambit is a worthy opponent to the Ballydoyle duo, and appears due a change of luck after having very little of it in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot or in the York Stakes over this course and distance.

King’s Gambit came to prominence when winning the London Gold Cup at Newbury
King’s Gambit came to prominence when winning the London Gold Cup at Newbury (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s run well of late and through no fault of his own has just not come out with a win at Ascot and then at York it was a bizarre race,” said trainer Harry Charlton.

“We knew it would be and he’s done the donkey work in what I was told was the slowest run 10-furlong race at York ever, which was never going to suit him being a potential 12-furlong horse up against speedy 10-furlong horses.

“I thought he ran well and more than anything it gave us confidence that 12 furlongs would be within his compass because he was deeply relaxed, lobbing along in front when the others were keen.

“It will be interesting how we get on as we are going in potentially against some stayers and he’s the one coming up in trip, so it will be interesting to see. He might be the one with the speed and they will want to go a nice tempo, which he likes.”

William Haggas is represented by Space Legend, who was disappointing up in trip in the Bahrain Trophy but had looked progressive prior to that.



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Great things expected from Leger favourite Gregory

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Gregory puts his Betfred St Leger aspirations to the test in Wednesday’s Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the high-class colt is a perfect three out of three in his career so far and is as short as 2-1 for the final Classic of the season at Doncaster on September 16 having enhanced his reputation with a taking success in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

The son of Golden Horn was sporting the colours of Qatari-based owners Wathnan Racing for the first time when surging to victory at the Royal meeting and he will now bid to lay down a marker ahead of a potential trip to Town Moor next month in a race the Clarehaven team won with Logician in 2019 en route to St Leger glory.

Frankie Dettori with a flying dismount from Gregory
Frankie Dettori with a flying dismount from Gregory (David Davies/PA)

John Gosden said: “He’s coming back two furlongs in distance from the Queen’s Vase and I think he’s going to be well suited by the St Leger distance.

“We planned the autumn campaign with him so that it was always one run and then to the Leger.”

Last year James Ferguson enjoyed one of the biggest days of his fledgling training career when Deauville Legend claimed the Voltigeur title and he is out to repeat the dose with Canberra Legend, who also carries the silks of owner Boniface Ho.

The Australia colt burst onto the scene when winning the Feilden Stakes in impressive style earlier in the season and following encouraging runs at both Royal Ascot and in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, the Kremlin Cottage handler is confident there is still more to come.

“Obviously it’s a big ask for him, but I feel he has been developing throughout the year and crying out for a mile and a half,” said Ferguson.

Canberra Legend in action at the Craven meeting
Canberra Legend in action at the Craven meeting (Tim Goode/PA)

“I thought he ran very well in the Gordon (at Goodwood) and this will teach us a lot about him. I think he is in as good form as I’ve ever had him and the race has cut up enough for me to feel it is worth taking our chance.

“He’s getting better with every run. Put a line through the Dante the last time he went to York and I think he’s probably a bigger price than what he should be.”

Continuous is the sole Aidan O’Brien representative, bringing course form to the table having been third in the Dante.

He was last seen chasing home King Of Steel in the King Edward VII Stakes, while two and a half lengths behind Continuous when third at Ascot was Artistic Star, with Ralph Beckett’s runner also having a bit to find with Canberra Legend from when they met on the Sussex Downs recently.

Charlie Appleby’s Castle Way completes the line-up and is another who will have one eye on a visit to Town Moor as he attempts extend his three-race winning streak after adding the Bahrain Trophy to his reappearance win in the Newmarket Stakes.



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