Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes
Group 2, York 15:00 £160,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 3f 188y, Class 1
Wednesday 23rd August 2017

1 Cracksman 4/6F
2 Venice Beach 9/2
3 Mirage Dancer 5/1
6 ran NR: Count Octave, Khalidi Distances: 6l, 6l, ½l
Time: 2m 34.65s (slow by 6.65s)

Cracksman impressively wins the Great Voltigeur

Cracksman
© Racehorse Photos

Five years after his mighty sire Frankel claimed victory in the Juddmonte International, it was the turn of one of his sons to produce the fireworks on the Knavesmire when putting in a display that was visually out of the top drawer in the Group Two event.

Although having to be nudged along by Frankie Dettori entering the home straight, the John Gosden-trained Cracksman quickly put the race to bed when hitting the front.

Sent on well over three furlongs out in the mile-and-a-half affair, the 4-6 favourite, who was last seen finishing second in the Irish Derby having been third in the Epsom version, quickly turned the race into a procession.

He eventually coasted home an eased-down six-length winner from Venice Beach.

Dettori said: "He has come on a lot. He put up a good performance there because I asked him early enough to get into top gear and stretch them out. The last two furlongs he was galloping right away from the field and I was very impressed. 

"He is laid back and you have got to shake him up a bit, otherwise he is happy to follow the others, that's why I got him going plenty early enough. Once he knows it's time to go, he goes. 

"We had to get him ready for the Derby. He is such a big horse with a big frame to fill. John gave him the time off to improve and he will be a force to be reckoned with next year." 

Gosden said: "He won't go for the Leger. We've never thought of going that route. He may run again this year, but the main focus is next year which is what it's about with the King George and those races. 

"He was only a shell of a horse earlier in the season. Ascot (Champion Stakes) and the Arc are the only two possibilities this year. And they are only possibilities, not probabilities. 

"He's got more stronger and positive in himself. He ran brave races in the Epsom and Irish Derbys, but he's getting better all the time."

Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2)
£160,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 3f 188y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Soft (Soft in places)