RUN WITH PRIDE

Beckett colt overturns Derby form in Voltigeur

- By Melissa Jones

RIDE Of Arras (12-1) was revived by a return to the scene of his finest hour in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.

Ralph Beckett’s charge had been expected to take a hand in the Classics after his eye-catching Dante victory in May. However, the horse owned by small-scale breeders David Vimy Aykroyd and his wife Wimy went out with a whimper in the Derby at Epsom and the Irish equivalent at the Curragh, beaten an average of 35 lengths.

Both races were added to the Ballydoyle roll of honour by Lambourn, the 20th horse to complete the famous Derby double.

But he was weighed down by a Group One penalty on the Knavesmire as Pride Of Arras bounced back to form on his first start since being gelded. Held up in fifth by Rossa Ryan, the 12-1 shot made headway with two furlongs to gallop and stayed on to cross the line a length up.