AIDAN O’Brien has won the last two renewals of the Great Voltigeur (3.00pm) and looks to have a fine chance of making it a hat-trick with Lambourn.
However, while the dual Derby winner is the most likely winner, I can’t support him at his current short price and I’m keen to take him on instead.
He may have picked up three Group wins on the bounce but he’s carrying a penalty and I think he has the potential to bomb out on the quicker ground.
In my mind Paddy Twomey’s unbeaten colt, CARMERS, could be capable of springing a surprise, and I’ll be backing him in World Pool’s Win and Place markets.
Ballydoyle have four runners in the race, and I suspect those lower down the market will act as pacemakers for their stable star, but that should suit CARMERS, too, who won over a mile and three quarters last time at Ascot in the Queen’s Vase.
I thought he was mightily impressive that day when positioned behind the leading group, before hitting the front around the turn and staying on well up the rail to get the job done.
The form of that race is working out with runner-up on the day Furthur landing the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury last weekend and fifth-placed Scandinavia winning the Goodwood Cup earlier this month.
I can’t see the two-furlong drop in trip here being an issue for him and with quick ground likely, conditions should be perfect for him to have a good go at making it four wins in a row.
O’Brien’s STAY TRUE is also of interest, and I’ll be putting him in a Quinella with Carmers.
He’s a Group race debutant but has shown enough in his two starts this season to put him in the picture.
He hasn’t been seen since his second in the Lingfield Derby Trial back in May, but won well at Leopardstown prior to that on his debut on quick ground.
This’ll be his first go at this extended trip and I can see it suiting him, so if his more illustrious stablemate faulters, it could be him that chases Carmers home.
POINTERS WEDNESDAY
Carmers (Win and Place) 3.00pm York
Carmers, Stay True (Quinella) 3.00pm York