Masked Marvel Pitches His Leger Hat Into The Ring 

John Gosden’s Masked Marvel gave a nice boost to the form of the Investec Derby by proving a game winner of the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy on the opening day of Newmarket’s July Festival and could next be seen in Group 2 company in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at Betfair York Ebor Festival in August, writes Elliot Slater.

Eighth behind Pour Moi at Epsom five weeks earlier, Masked Marvel returned to the kind of form that saw him win the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood in May, taking up the running over a mile from home in the 13-furlong contest then showing plenty of courage and determination to get the better of a prolonged duel with the useful Census, eventually prevailing by a head from the Richard Hannon-trained runner-up.

Both the winner and the runner-up did their respective chances of making the starting line-up for the Group 1 Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes at Doncaster in September no harm at all coming four-lengths clear of Zain Al Boldan and receiving quotes of around 16/1 for the final classic of the 2011 season.

First however, Masked Marvel could well take up an engagement in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at the big York meeting on 17 August, a race that is seen as a key trial for the St Leger and that often has a significant bearing on the ante-post market for the Town Moor spectacle. Those looking at the Betfair York Ebor betting should keep an eye on him. Last year’s renewal of the big York race was won by Rewilding, who went on to win in top company in Dubai in March before beating So You Think in stunning fashion at Royal Ascot.

Gosden has a particularly good recent record in the York event having won the race with Lucarno (2007) and Centennial (2008). Lucarno went on to follow-up in the St Leger itself, a race Gosden also won last year with Arctic Cosmos.