Ladbrokes Great Voltigeur Stakes

The Ladbrokes Great Voltigeur Stakes looks like living up to its billing of being the best St Leger trial this season, and the race can go to the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Papal Bull, who is a top-priced 5/2 with Blue Square for the twelve-furlong contest. The St Leger itself has proved as elusive to Stoute as the Scarlet Pimpernel was to the authorities at the time of the French Revolution, and the Newmarket handler has long viewed Papal Bull, a son of the brilliant Montjeu, as a likely candidate for the oldest Classic, which will be run, like the Voltigeur, at York this season while redevelopment work continues at its spiritual home, Doncaster. The selection, who is a best-priced 7/1 with the sponsors for the Leger, isn't the most easy on the eye, but he gets the job done. Invariably he will not impress paddock judges as he has a propensity to get a tad stirred up and work up a bit of a lather. And during his races he is as keen as mustard and will usually have his jockey rowing for dear life along way from home. However, as he proved most notably in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, he has a heck of an engine. Indeed, turning for home Kieren Fallon looked to be scraping paint aboard Papal Bull, but when he managed to slip him into fifth gear he really started to eat up ground, and probably had more in hand then official neck winning margin by which he beat Red Rocks in that Group 2 contest. Many will point to the fact that this track is a lot sharper than Ascot, and that it's likely to play to the strengths of Papal Bull's Ascot victim, Red Rocks, whose front-running tactics will be suited to the Knavesmire. But it should be remembered that Papal Bull proved that he has the requisite speed to win on a sharp track when outpointing the subsequent Derby runner-up, Dragon Dancer, in the Chester Vase on the Roodee earlier in the season, and that that track is much sharper than York. I reckon Papal Bull will win, but there's definite grounds for believing that, at 14/1 with bet365, Mick Channon's Championship Point is overpriced, and that he is well worth a small each-way investment. It's surprising to see him available at such an inflated price given that he went off at 12/1 for the Derby at Epsom. Admittedly, he was well beaten in that contest, but he clearly didn't put his best foot forward that day and is capable of a good deal better. Soapy Danger is just that, a danger. He is a highly progressive colt and proved his versatility when, after winning the Queen's Vase against his own age group over two miles at Ascot in June, he dropped back to twelve furlongs to beat his elders in a Group 2 at Newmarket's July meting. Mark Johnston's charge will prove a tough nut to crack, but the fact remains that he will need to improve again to beat the likes of Papal Bull, and I don't envisage him bridging that gap on Tuesday. Verdict - 2pts Papal Bull @ 5/2 (Blue Square) & 0.50pts e/w Championship Point @ 14/1 (bet365)