Carmers in good shape for York clash with Lambourn

Paddy Twomey’s unbeaten colt Carmers is aiming for more success on British soil when he lines up in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on Wednesday.

The Wootton Bassett three-year-old did not run at two, and has not put a foot wrong since making his debut with a win in a Ballinrobe maiden in early May.

He then took the Listed Yeats Stakes at Navan by a comfortable three lengths, after which he stepped up to Group Two level at Royal Ascot to claim the Queen’s Vase over a mile and six furlongs.

The colt is now heading for English shores again with his eye on another Group Two prize, this time stepping back to a mile and a half with Colin Keane booked to ride on the Knavesmire in the absence of the injured Billy Lee.

“He’s in very good form,” said Twomey.

“He’s trained really well since Ascot and has pleased us in everything he’s done, we’re really looking forward to getting him back out again.”

Carmers’ Queen’s Vase win at Ascot has looked like an increasingly solid piece of form – the runner-up, Furthur, has won the Geoffrey Freer since and the fifth-placed horse, Scandinavia, has subsequently struck twice when taking both the Bahrain Trophy and the Goodwood Cup.

Those performances bode well for Twomey’s runner, who will meet dual Derby winner Lambourn at York on quick ground the trainer feels his St Leger contender will relish.

“The race looks like it’s worked out really well, the form is very good from Ascot,” he said.

“I think the track at the Knavesmire will really suit him, it’s a big, galloping track and it will be fast ground which he really likes.

“He’d be very happy with the ground as it is, it was very quick ground at Ascot and he was very happy on that.”

Aidan O’Brien has chosen the Group Two as the next port of call for Lambourn, who has the option of the Leger or Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after this.

Impressive at Epsom, he was made to work extremely hard when following up at the Curragh by then stablemate Serious Contender, who had been beaten in a handicap at Royal Ascot and has since been sold to Hong Kong.

“Lambourn has obviously had four races this year, he’s fit, so he hasn’t done too much since the Curragh,” said O’Brien.

“We’ve just kept him ticking over really. Los Angeles came from the Curragh and Epsom to this race last year

“Mount Kilimanjaro had a break after winning at Chester. He’s just ready to start back really.

“It’s the same with Stay True, he just got beat in the Lingfield trial by another of ours (Puppet Master) and we gave him a break as that was just his second run, he’s just ready to start.

“They’ll improve a lot for the run.”

O’Brien also runs Thrice, seventh in the Irish Derby when last seen and prior to that the winner of the Gallinule Stakes.

William Haggas is represented by Glasgow Stakes runner-up Arabian Force, while Ralph Beckett’s Pride Of Arras, so impressive in the Dante but disappointing since, returns to York having been gelded.