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Lambourn returns to action in York's Great Voltigeur, with St Leger looming over horizon
Dual Derby hero Lambourn continues his retro career path to potentially more Classic glory on day one of York's Ebor festival.
Aidan O'Brien's
admirable colt lines up in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, a traditional trial for next month's Doncaster St Leger, in which he is set to be accompanied by a trio of stable companions.
There was once a time when heading to the Leger via the Voltigeur on the back of Derby glory was almost automatic.
The Lester Piggott-ridden St Paddy successfully managed it in 1960. Reference Point won at Epsom and landed the Voltigeur before scoring in the Leger in 1987. But even four decades ago, there was a rather obsolete feel to such a route.
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It has long been the case that prioritising 1¼ mile achievement becomes the subsequent priority for most Derby winners. Lambourn's sire Australia won the International in 2014, the idea of taking in the Voltigeur en route to Doncaster already commercially redundant.
No such imperatives appear to revolve around his most famous son. O'Brien's praise for Lambourn's stamina at Epsom meant he duly lined up at the Curragh in June rather than any thought being given by the Coolmore powers to a drop in trip.
Even if O'Brien didn't have Delacroix for the International 35 minutes later, the prospect of Lambourn taking his chance in it instead were always remote.
The likeable bay looks to be tagged as what he obviously is, a top-class talent over 1½ miles-plus. He has attributes that once would have made him Wednesday's headline act, but are now simply less fashionable.
Lambourn must concede 2lbs to Paddy Twomey's Royal Ascot winner Carmers. Unbeaten in three starts, Colin Keane's mount is rapidly progressive and the form of his Queen's Vase defeat of Further looks solid.
'The form is very good from Ascot. I think the track at the Knavesmire will really suit him; it's a big, galloping track and it will be fast ground which he really likes,' Twomey reported. 'He'd be very happy with the ground as it is, it was very quick ground at Ascot.'
The reappearance of Ballydoyle's apparent number two contender Stay True will be interesting since he ran so promisingly in May's Derby Trial at Lingfield.
Three days before that, Lambourn had won the Chester Vase, teeing up a summer that ultimately saw him, in his own unfussy way, become the 20th colt to complete the Epsom-Curragh Derby double. If his profile may be somewhat out of style, his habit of winning isn't.
The earlier Tattersalls Acomb Stakes could hold Classic clues for next year as once again Godolphin and Coolmore face off in the Group Three contest.
The Lion In Winter beat Ruling Court in last year's contest, although it was the latter that ultimately proved a Classic hero in May's 2,000 Guineas.
Ruling Court was a Breeze Up buy and so is Distant Storm, who cost Sheikh Mohammed a cool €1.9 million earlier this year. He narrowly won his debut at Newmarket in what has proved to be a notably hot maiden.
'The Acomb was a race we had in mind once he broke his maiden. The way he's done since means we're going with confidence that he will be a big player,' said his trainer Charlie Appleby.
O'Brien relies on Italy, who came off worst when up against another Godolphin juvenile, Saba Desert, in the Superlative last time.
Wednesday's domestic action is over the jumps in Sligo where the course winner Ballykinlar bids to complete a hat-trick of victories for owner-trainer Donnacha Duggan in a handicap hurdle.
