Aidan O’Brien still positive despite Lambourn’s Voltigeur defeat

Aidan O’Brien was not too despondent after watching his dual Derby winner Lambourn trail home in fifth place in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur at York.

A mildly surprising winner at Epsom, he then doubled up at the Curragh in the Irish equivalent and despite giving weight away all round to his rivals, he was sent off the 4-5 favourite to confirm his position as the best mile-and-a-half colt of his generation.

However, Ryan Moore was hard at work from some way out as first stablemate Stay True loomed up looking a threat, before the Ballydoyle duo were swamped by Ralph Beckett’s Pride Of Arras.

The winner had scored impressively in the Dante at the track in May but finished well behind Lambourn at both Epsom and the Curragh and had subsequently been gelded.

O’Brien fielded four in the Group Two and they filled the final four positions.

Lambourn is now 5-1 for the St Leger with Coral as his stable companion Scandinavia hardened to 4-5 favourite for the final Classic.

“He went grand, they went steady and he’s lazy, I think it was a steadily-run race,” said O’Brien of Lambourn.

“All of them ran grand. The reason we ran Lambourn here was so that he had the option of either the Leger or the Arc.

“I don’t think the Leger trip will be a problem, we know he stays a mile and a half well.

“Ryan (Moore) said he felt like he got a little but tired but we’ll see how he is.

“Stay True ran a lovely race, he’s always looked a lovely horse for the Leger so it looks like he’ll be happy doing that.”

One horse who enhanced his reputation despite losing his unbeaten record was the Paddy Twomey-trained Carmers, the Queen’s Vase winner from Royal Ascot who was dropping in trip.

He got caught flat-footed when the pace quickened before staying on for second, beaten a length.

“He maybe didn’t get the run of the race but I think it was a very good trial for the Leger,” said Twomey.

“I think he’s learned more today than he had in any race he won. It’s a big run and back up to the mile and six (furlongs) will suit him.

“I don’t think the ground makes any difference to him.”