THE Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes has long had a reputation as the foremost trial for the St Leger, but the victory of the gelded Yibir (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle) rather throws a spanner in the works as far as that theory goes.

Sent off a well-backed 6/1 shot despite having finished behind three of his rivals in the Gordon Stakes, Yibir proved that form wrong by pouncing late to snatch the lead from pace-setting The Mediterranean (Aidan O’Brien/Wayne Lordan) with just over a furlong to go, and he kept on willingly to record a length-and-a-quarter win, with Youth Spirit (Andrew Balding/Tom Marquand) nosing out Sir Lucan for third in a bob of heads.

There were some notable disappointments, with favourite High Definition simply looking paceless in sixth, and quick ground merely illustrated his lack of gears.

Queen’s Vase winner Kemari didn’t have the chance the market suggested on form, with the Ascot contest not working out at all, but he ran too badly to be true and clearly wasn’t himself, while Third Realm, who beat Adayar in the Lingfield Derby Trial looks increasingly flattered by that run, and has not progressed, something hinted at in his unimpressive physique.

Battling

Yibir’s battling third to Alenquer and Adayar in the Sandown Classic Trial marked him out as a high-class middle-distance colt in the making, but an ugly display in the Dee Stakes at Chester saw questions asked about his resolution, and he was gelded after his next start.

A win on quick ground in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket was a big step in the right direction, and he ran himself into the ground after racing too freely in the Gordon Stakes. He settled much better in a refitted hood here, and is full value for the win.

He reportedly heads to Belmont Park for the Jockey Club Derby next month, and as a gelding, we should see plenty more of him in coming seasons assuming he stays sound.

THE Group 3 Acomb Stakes has not been a happy hunting ground for hyped-up favourites in recent years, with no outright market leader having won for almost a decade.

The tendency for punters to side with untapped potential over proven form is understandable, but York’s Ebor meeting has been something of a graveyard for favourites over the years, and that was again the case here, with the three horses dominating the betting finishing in the last three places as the experienced Royal Patronage (Mark Johnston/Jason Hart) made all the running to beat Goodwood maiden winner Imperial Fighter (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) by two and a quarter lengths.

Uncontested

There was a further gap of two lengths to the third, and while the winner, a son of Wootton Bassett, was handed an uncontested lead, he was strong at the finish, and it’s not easy to find any hint of a hard-luck story among those vanquished.

That said, if there’s one lesson results like this should teach us, it’s that making absolute judgements about the merits of undeveloped juveniles is folly, as it always has been.

The 25/1 winner had won by a similar margin on his previous outing at Epsom in novice company, and brought an official rating of 93 into the contest, so his SP was rather an insult in retrospect.

His trainer was at pains to point out that he was always highly regarded, and he is likely to follow the yard’s 2020 winner Gear Up by running next in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket, although Johnston was also considering the longer term as he said: “He was beaten over six furlongs first time out, ran well second time at Sandown and then showed us what we always thought of him at Epsom.

“We’ll go home and think about targets. On pedigree the horse will clearly stay further. I was asked whether he’s a Guineas horse, it may be he’s more a Dante horse but time will tell.”

Copper Knight gained his sixth course win in the opening handicap for Tim Easterby and David Allan, and will head next to the Portland on Doncaster’s St Leger undercard.

Irish gamble

Irish eyes were smiling as Arcadian Sunrise landed a gamble in the colours of trainer John Queally’s wife Miriam, with Jamie Spencer riding.

The winner was taking advantage of a lenient flat mark having shown improved form over hurdles in recent times.

The speedy Tweet Tweet made all under Harrison Shaw for trainer Declan Carroll in the fillies’ handicap, while Tom Dascombe’s Flaming Rib took the closing nursery, ridden by apprentice Pierre-Louis Jamin, and carrying the colours of a partnership including former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen.