Rewilding outclasses Great Voltigeur rivals

Rewilding gave notice he is ready to become Godolphin's sixth winner of the Ladbrokes St Leger by turning in a devastating performance in the Sportingbet.com Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.

The famous royal blue silks were carried to Town Moor glory by Mastery last year, and Rewilding is the general 6-4 favourite to follow up after an effortless success in this recognised trial for Doncaster.

Sent off at 6-4 for this contest under the ever-popular Frankie Dettori, Mahmood Al Zarooni's Epsom Derby third appeared to have plenty on his plate turning for home, but his rider never flinched in arrears.

While Midas Touch cruised to the front halfway up the straight, Dettori continued to sit quietly before unleashing his mount heading inside the final two furlongs and he quickly went clear to score by four lengths.

Godolphin's racing manager Simon Crisford said: ‘We knew his Derby run was good enough to win this race.

‘He was a little bit under-cooked coming here, but he's gone and done it well.

‘He had quite a hard race at Epsom and it took quite a bit out of him, so it was always the plan to miss Goodwood and come straight for this.

‘It is a good route to go down with the Leger in mind and it's worked for us before with Rule Of Law.

‘This is a horse who has enough class to run over a mile and a quarter, but he'll go for the Leger and he must have a favourite's chance.

‘He is definitely a classier horse than either Mastery or Kite Wood (first and second in the Leger last year).’

Dettori added: ‘You need stamina and he has got plenty of that. You never know first time back, but it's the best St Leger trial and he could have done no more than he has.’

Aidan O'Brien's Midas Touch was left trailing in Rewilding's wake back in second, with his stablemate Joshua Tree staying on late to claim third.

The Ballydoyle handler said: ‘We're delighted with them both. You'd love to be thinking about the Leger next time with them.’

Waiter's Dream threw his hat in the ring for next year's 2000 Guineas with an authoritative performance in the Sportingbet.com Acomb Stakes.

Brian Meehan's youngster failed to find the target on his first couple of racecourse appearances but was sent off at 5-2 on the back of an impressive Newbury maiden success.

Always travelling strongly for Kieren Fallon, the Oasis Dream colt engaged overdrive once the six-times champion jockey asked him the question and the pair quickly had the Group Three prize wrapped up, coming home four and a half lengths ahead of Silvertrees.

‘I'm very pleased with him, he's a very progressive horse. He has just improved and improved,’ said Meehan.

‘Kieren said they went a good gallop and by the time they got to the furlong marker it was all over.

‘He'll get further, but seven furlongs is good for him at the moment.

‘It always takes a good one to win this race and he'll probably have one more run now.

‘We'll look at the Dewhurst, but we'll see how he comes out of this and take stock.’

Yorkshire trainer Tim Easterby got the Ebor meeting off to the perfect start as 9-1 chance Hamish McGonagall secured his third course win in the opening Symphony Group Handicap under David Allan.

‘He's taken time to come to himself. He's a really big horse but he's strengthened up now and he's just a proper horse,’ said Easterby.

‘He's in a race at the Curragh on Sunday week (Flying Five Stakes) but we'll just see how he comes out of this as he's had quite a hard race today.

‘It's fantastic to have winners here - this is our Ascot.’