Ebor Festival: High stakes for Storm The Stars as St Leger looms large

He heads the market for the final Classic of the season at Doncaster on September 12 after a string of fine performances at the highest level.

Placed in both the English and Irish Derbies, the colt – trained by Skipton-born William Haggas – was third to Erupt in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on his latest start.

“We’re hoping he can win. It’s never easy, but he’s beaten most of them and hopefully that will continue,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum.

“I think they’ve got him to beat rather than the other way round. We’re the confirmed better horse on form at the moment. It’s unlike William’s training to run him that much, but he has to keep on top of this horse. He gets very fresh.”

Balios gave a fine performance to win the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot on only his third start but was then just behind Storm The Stars when fifth in the Grand Prix de Paris.

Connections of the David Simcock-trained colt felt their horse did not show his true running and are expecting a better effort this time, with jockey Jamie Spencer particularly bullish.

“It is a St Leger Trial, so a lot of these horses are using this as a stepping stone towards Doncaster for the final Classic of the season,” Spencer said in his Coral blog. “I didn’t think he ran his race last time out at Longchamp for whatever reason that might be. The slow pace did not help, but either way, he is better than that and hopefully he can show it at a galloping track which suits him.”

Classic winner Covert Love heads a field of 11 declared for tomorrow’s Darley Yorkshire Oaks.

The Hugo Palmer-trained filly won the Darley Irish Oaks in tremendous fashion and was supplemented for this Group One which is open to older fillies and mares. She will be reopposed by the Jessica Harrington-trained Jack Naylor and David Wachman’s Curvy, who were second and third respectively behind her at the Curragh last month.