Los Angeles digs deep to grind out Great Voltigeur victory

Nick Robson and Ashley Iveson
August 21, 2024 2:38 pm

Irish Derby hero edged out stablemate Illinois and King’s Gambit.

The star of Los Angeles continues to rise after the Irish Derby scorer registered a gutsy success in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.

Third behind Ballydoyle stablemate City Of Troy at Epsom, Aidan O’Brien’s son of Camelot gained his own Classic triumph at the Curragh in the Irish equivalent on his last start.

Supplemented into this Group Two event, he was sent off 5-4 favourite in the hands of Ryan Moore as he became the first horse to win the Knavesmire contest under a penalty.

Tough cookie 💪
Irish Derby winner Los Angeles lasts out in an exciting finish to the @SkyBet Great Voltigeur for Ryan Moore, Aidan O’Brien and @Ballydoyle.
The first horse to carry a Group One penalty to victory in this race since 1990! @yorkracecourse pic.twitter.com/VXucYIV1Mh

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 21, 2024

Los Angeles was settled in third as O’Brien-trained pair Euphoric and Illinois took the field along, but once shaken up to bridge the gap to his stablemates, he responded to Moore’s urgings to work his way to the head of proceedings.

The challengers mounted at all angles as Los Angeles needed to pull out all the stops inside the final furlong but neither rallying runner-up Illinois or Harry Charlton’s King’s Gambit could get past Moore and his willing ally as he hung on by a neck.

He was made the 5-2 outright favourite for the St Leger by Paddy Power in the aftermath, but it remains to be seen in which direction connections will head in the autumn.