Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes |
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| Group 2, York 15:00 £250,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 1m 3f 188y, Class 1  |
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1 Los Angeles 5/4F
2
Illinois 7/2
3 King's Gambit 9/4
5 ran NR: Deira Mile Distances: nk, nk, 1l
Time: 2m 27.80s (fast by 1.00s)
The @SkyBet Great Voltigeur Stakes goes the way of Los Angeles, who fends off stablemate Illinois and King's Gambit to win! 🥇
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 21, 2024
A quick fire double on the card for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore! pic.twitter.com/v1ElnjCPvI
The rise of Los Angeles continues as the Irish Derby winner showcased a determined performance to claim victory.
After finishing third behind his Ballydoyle stablemate City Of Troy at Epsom, Aidan O’Brien’s son of Camelot secured his own Classic win at the Curragh in the Irish Derby.
Supplemented into this Group Two race, he was the 5-4 favourite under Ryan Moore, becoming the first horse to win the Knavesmire contest with a penalty. Initially settled in third, Los Angeles closed the gap on his stablemates Euphoric and Illinois, both trained by O’Brien. Responding to Moore’s urgings, he moved to the front.
In the final furlong, challengers came from all sides, but Los Angeles held off the rallying Illinois and Harry Charlton’s King’s Gambit, winning by a neck.
O’Brien said: “He was very tough and we were delighted with him. He’s just a lazy horse that gets a mile and a half well.
“Obviously the lads will make that decision (where he runs next), but the second horse stays very well and a mile and six (furlongs) is probably where he is going to be seen at his best.
“Ryan’s horse (Los Angeles) can do either – he can go up in trip, but he has plenty of class, so he could go back for an Irish Champion Stakes and finish in the first four and go on to an Arc, or he can go to the Leger with the others.
“The horse that won in Goodwood (Jan Brueghel) would probably get the Leger trip very well, Illinois would probably get the trip very well and Los Angeles could get it as well, but would have an option of going shorter trips as well.
“He’s a massive, handsome, powerful horse and he has the options and he’s very versatile ground-wise.
“I’m delighted for the lads and everyone. It’s hard to win these races, so it for it to come together, especially at a place like this, is great.”
Charlton was satisfied with King’s Gambit’s effort but has yet to consider future plans.
He said: “He ran a lovely race. William (Buick) just thought he stays a mile and a half but that felt more like a mile and six on him the way they rode it.
“He came there to win his race but he was slightly on empty, but he’s run great. He made a lot of ground from three out to close up but then he just emptied.
“He’s a 10- or 12-furlong horse but 12 in less extreme circumstances.
“We’ve nothing in mind, I’ll talk to Mohammed Jaber and see what he wants to do.”
Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2)
£250,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 1m 3f 188y, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Firm
POS. (DRAW) FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 (4) Los Angeles 3 9-7 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 5/4F
2 (2) nk Illinois 3 9-5 A P O'Brien Wayne Lordan 7/2
3 (1) nk King's Gambit 3 9-2 Harry Charlton William Buick 9/4
4 (5) 1 Space Legend 3 9-2 William Haggas James Doyle 10/1
5 (6) 9½ Euphoric 3 9-2 A P O'Brien Declan McDonogh 66/1
NR 3 (3) Deira Mile 3 9-2 Owen Burrows NON RUNNER
