Ebor Festival: Haggas hoping to Storm to victory in Voltigeur

William Haggas’s colt, third in the Epsom Derby and second in the Irish equivalent, will use the Group Two on the Knavesmire as a potential launchpad for the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster.

The tough Sea The Stars colt is thriving on racing and was far from disgraced when third in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp last month.

Tashaar, trained by Richard Hannon, was supplemented last week and unsurprisingly stands his ground after winning his two races to date.

Aidan O’Brien had been responsible for nine possible runners at the confirmation stage, but his squad has been whittled down to three.

Aloft, so impressive on his seasonal debut in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, Curragh Cup winner Bondi Beach and Giovanni Canaletto will fly the flag for Ballydoyle.

Meanwhile, Irish raiders dominate the ante-post betting for Saturday’s Betfred Ebor – Europe’s richest Flat handicap

Three-year-old colt Fields Of Athenry is the current favourite after he won the Group Three Ballyroan Stakes for the aforementioned O’Brien with a hint of authority on August 6.

Royal Ascot winner Clondaw Warrior, trained by Willie Mullins and the intended mount of Frankie Dettori, is also in the shake-up after he claimed another tidy pot at the Galway Festival late last month.

He will, however, need a fair few horses to come out at the final declaration stage to be guaranteed a run. Mullins is also responsible for Wicklow Brave, who sits cosily above the cut-off point.

However, Quest For More, winner of the Northumberland Plate for in-form Beckhampton trainer Roger Charlton, is likely to contest the Group Two Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup over two miles on Friday. It sets up the possibility of a mouth-watering clash with the Ascot Gold Cup hero Trip to Paris and Goodwood Cup victor Big Orange, a further nod to the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival’s growing stature and prestige.