August 17 / 15.00 York

15.00

Good To Firm

Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings)

  • Prize money: £113420
  • 1m 3f 188y
  • Class 1
  • 6 runners
ITV
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Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £3.85
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 2-1212

Last run: 20 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Travels strongly; went close against Secret State in 1m4f handicap at Royal Ascot; further impressive progress since in Group 3s when scoring by a head at Newmarket (1m5f; Walk Of Stars a close third) and second of ten in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood (1m4f); all five of his turf runs have been on good to firm; firmly in the mix.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

4

(4)

13th Jul 2024

Good To Soft

1m 5f 188y

Class 1

15:45 York

Deauville Legend

9st 0lb

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: James Ferguson

held up in rear

14/1

3rd

5

(2)

29th Jun 2024

Good To Firm

1m 4f 0y

Class 1

14:50 Newmarket (July)

Deauville Legend

9st 2lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: James Ferguson

in rear

12/1

4th

2

(3)

9th Jun 2024

Good

1m 3f 218y

Class 1

17:05 Goodwood

Deauville Legend

9st 3lb

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: James Ferguson

Raced mostly on good/firmer; solid 2022 campaign featured a C&D second, Great Voltigeur win and fourth in the Melbourne Cup; unable to repeat that form during a light 2023 season and below-form fourth in Group 3 at Chester with first-time blinkers on 2024 reappearance; sights are lowered.

3/1

OUR TIP

2/1

  • Place: £1.40

Form: 21111 D

Last run: 21 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Five starts and debut was his sole defeat (first win was on soft); beat Deauville Legend by a head to win the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot (1m4f, good to firm; gave him 4lb) and followed up in another good handicap at Goodwood (1m4f, good) despite hanging left once in front; that form puts him in serious reckoning for this Group race and he's been improving.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

(7)

1st Apr 2023

Standard To Slow

1m 1f 219y

Class 1

14:05 Kempton (AW)

Secret State

9st 3lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

prominent

7/4

6th

5

(2)

30th Sep 2022

Good

1m 6f 34y

Class 1

15:45 Ascot

Secret State

9st 3lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

led, headed but raced in second after 1f, lost second but prominent 8f out, ridden over 2f out, every chance when hampered over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong

11/8

2nd

5

(6)

17th Aug 2022

Good To Firm

1m 3f 188y

Class 1

15:00 York

Secret State

9st 2lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

held up in rear, shaken up on outer over 3f out, ridden and headway over 2f out, held when hung left over 1f out, no chance with winner but kept on and went second inside final 110yds

2/1

11/1

Form: 11-723

Last run: 34 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Group 1 winner at Saint-Cloud (1m2f, very soft) as 2yo and runner-up in the French Derby (10.5f, soft) in June; another good run when third in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp (1m4f, good to soft) on latest; has the form to play a major part but the ground could be an issue, as he was well beaten here in the Dante on good and all his other runs were on softer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

(3)

17th Aug 2022

Good To Firm

1m 3f 188y

Class 1

15:00 York

El Bodegon

9st 2lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: James Ferguson

towards rear, shaken up and headway from over 4f out, pushed along to lead over 2f out, soon ridden, drifted left against far rail over 1f out, soon headed, weakened and lost second inside final 110yds

11/1

4th
6 (4)

4/1

Form: 1-1203

Last run: 41 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Won on soft as 2yo; poor show when 11-1 in the Derby; gelded and bounced back with his third to Deauville Legend in a very tight finish to Group 3 at Newmarket (1m5f, good to firm) six weeks ago; that candidate has improved since and now this one needs to do the same.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: 112028

Last run: 20 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Unraced on softer than good; soundly beaten in the Derby; visored since when going very close in the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot, hanging left near the finish, and disappointing in the Gordon at Goodwood (both 1m4f on good to firm); switches to cheekpieces; has his quirks and his form case rests entirely on the run at Royal Ascot.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

1

(3)

21st Sep 2024

Good To Soft

1m 5f 61y

Class 2

14:05 Newbury

Grand Alliance

9st 12lb

J: James Doyle

T: Charlie Fellowes

Has usually run in Group events, winning a Group 3 here (1m4f, soft) on 2023 reappearance; second in Group 2 at Deauville (upped to 1m7f, very soft) last August but no show in 1m6f handicap at Haydock (14-1) two weeks ago on his only start since, after which he seems best watched.

20/1

14th

1

(6)

7th Sep 2024

Good To Soft

1m 6f 1y

Class 2

14:25 Haydock

Grand Alliance

9st 12lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Fellowes

Last nine races were Group events; career best winning a Group 3 at Newbury (1m4f, soft) on 2023 reappearance and second in Group 2 at Deauville (upped to 1m7f, very soft) last August was a major revival; absent since and needs to return at his peak but he's not fully exposed as a stayer.

10/1

4th

3

(1)

13th Jul 2023

Good To Firm

1m 4f 0y

Class 1

15:35 Newmarket (July)

Grand Alliance

9st 8lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: Charlie Fellowes

Quirky sort whose best effort came with clearcut Group 3 win at Newbury (1m4f, soft) in April, despite again hanging badly left in latter stages; no show in Group 2 at Royal Ascot (1m4f, good to firm; ran well with the same conditions there one year earlier) on his only run since; Ryan Moore rides him for the first time; major work to do even on best form.

12/1

7/2

Form: 144-01

Last run: 53 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Ended last term with fourth in a French Group 1 (1m, very soft); well beaten at 50-1 in the St James's Palace at Royal Ascot (sole run on good to firm) on reappearance but resumed progress in a big way in Group 3 at the Curragh (upped to 1m2f, good) 11 days later, always close up, going on nearly 3f out and asserting well; plenty of promise for 1m4f in that performance and in his pedigree; major player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

(8)

6th Jun 2025

Good

1m 2f 37y

Class 6

20:05 Bath

Aikhal

9st 9lb

J: William Carver

T: Jamie Osborne

Former Group 3 winner who's been on the slide for a while now; suggested he was about to exploit a much reduced mark when fourth at Wolverhampton (9.4f) last month and he attracted good support when keeping on for third at Brighton (1m2f, good to soft) ten days ago; overall profile far from persuasive but he still warrants consideration.

3/1

3rd

6

(1)

27th May 2025

Good

1m 1f 207y

Class 6

15:40 Brighton

Aikhal

9st 3lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: Jamie Osborne

Suggested he might be able to exploit his much reduced mark soon when fourth at Wolverhampton (9.4f) a fortnight ago but his run at Kempton (1m4f) on Wednesday was a backward step and he remains without a win since his Irish Group 3 success in June 2022.

13/2

3rd

6

(1)

27th May 2025

Good

1m 1f 207y

Class 6

15:40 Brighton

Aikhal

9st 3lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: Jamie Osborne

Suggested he might be able to exploit his much reduced mark soon when fourth at Wolverhampton (9.4f) a fortnight ago but his run at Kempton (1m4f) on Wednesday was a backward step and he remains without a win since his Irish Group 3 success in June 2022.

13/2

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £12.30
Straight Forecast £9.36
Trifecta £51.40

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Aikhal

POSTDATA:

Secret State

TOPSPEED:

Deauville Legend

Telegraph:

Walk Of Stars

NEWMARKET:

Secret State

The Sun:

Secret State

The Star:

Secret State

The Times:

Deauville Legend

The Guardian:

Deauville Legend

Daily Mail:

Deauville Legend

RP Ratings:

Aikhal

Daily Express:

Aikhal

Daily Mirror:

Aikhal

Daily Record:

Aikhal