The Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes is one of the more recognisable Classic trials of the flat season, often attracting an established field of top class performers. Six go to post with St Leger ambitions on the line, and GG tipster Joe Napier provides his verdict.
Despite opposing an odds-on favourite, Continuous cruised to a ready success in 2023 on his way to winning the St Leger the following month.
LOS ANGELES
(Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore)
Five starts into his career, and the only two horses to beat Los Angeles will be running in the following race on the card, the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes. That is the measure of the son of Camelot’s guts, as he has been campaigned assertively from the outset while only ever going off favourite once.
He also has two top level prizes in his trophy cabinet, claiming the Irish Derby when Ballydoyle got their tactics spot on at the Curragh. He reversed Epsom running with Ambiente Friendly and some of that form is working out quite well. That said, while he will undoubtedly go down fighting here, conceding as much weight as he is here will be tough against some of these rivals. Wherever he finishes though, expect him to come out on top on level weights at Doncaster next month.
KING’S GAMBIT
(Harry Charlton/William Buick)
This race has turned into one of a couple of high quality clashes featuring Ryan Moore and William Buick on the two favourites. Buick will have to be canny aboard King’s Gambit, who could easily be unbeaten this season had some fine margins gone his way, particularly at Royal Ascot.
He made a complete mockery of a mark of 93 on his reappearance at Newbury before flashing home in second in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes. He was held up miles too far off the pace that day, before setting a snail’s pace next time out against older horses for the first time in the Group 2 York Stakes. Only course specialist Alflaila overcame him that day, but that was a muddling race, and though he has finished strongly enough in races over 1m2f, his stamina for this extra distance against some battle-hardened opponents in far from assured.
ILLINOIS
(Aidan O’Brien/Wayne Lordan)
Few yards have the ability to send out deputies in Classic trials who have finished runner-up in Group 1 company, but Illinois did just that with a career best second in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp last time out. Given he was struggling against inferior company prior to the Derby earlier this term, it is fair to say he has improved.
He was also sent off favourite, with Moore aboard, for juvenile Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, won by Los Angeles last term, so he was evidently held in higher regard to start with than the favourite here. He gets 2lb from him too, though concedes 3lb all round otherwise. On the opposite hand to King’s Gambit, his stamina is certainly assured having won the Queen’s Vase at the royal meeting over 1m6f, but he may need at least to be at his best. His penalty for that success ensures he may struggle to come out on top.
DEIRA MILE
(Owen Burrows/Jim Crowley)
He does not have a superb strike rate, but DEIRA MILE has stepped his form up when connections have asked questions of him. As it happens, he also contested some strong maidens at Sandown and Doncaster, while finishing fourth of seven as a maiden in the Futurity Stakes at the latter venue too was a sterling effort.
He returned by finally getting his head comfortably in front in novice company, before his stand out effort to date when fourth in the Derby. That race was run to benefit his hold-up style, as he came from last of the 16 runners to fill an each-way profit for many of his backers. Indeed, it meant he finished just 1½ lengths behind Los Angeles, and while the race panned out to his liking, that is not a great deficit to overcome with a 5lb swing in his favour here and Owen Burrows has a great record at York (32% strike rate in last five years), including in big races.
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THE FIELD
Only two more to note in the field section, with Space Legend and Euphoric rounding out the sextet. The former looked progressive up until a runner-up effort in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, but that form now looks mixed, primarily as William Haggas’s charge was last of four at Newmarket next time out. The jury is out for now while Euphoric made the pace in both the English and Irish Derbies and looks likely to simply set the fractions again here.
VERDICT
With Los Angeles and Illinois carrying Group 1 and Group 2 penalties respectively and King’s Gambit a far from certain stayer on breeding (no St Leger entry), the market sets up for a chance on Derby fourth DEIRA MILE. He was benefited by the exceedingly strong gallop at Epsom, and therefore has slightly more than a bare 1½ lengths to make up with Los Angeles on that running, but he does have a 5lb swing in the weights to help him in that regard and should be just as thorough a stayer being another son of Camelot. The contrast in their odds is too great.
- Deira Mile
- Los Angeles
- King’s Gambit
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