REWILDING is the clear favourite for St Leger glory next month after a classy display in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York Racecourse.

The 6-4 favourite, ridden by Frankie Dettori, made mincemeat of a decent field to land the £140,000 Group 2 contest.

Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O’Brien has often been described as having the Midas touch and there looked to be no change when rider Johnny Murtagh kicked for home at the furlong marker on board Midas Touch (5-2).

But Dettori, who had given Rewilding a waiting ride, soon had his mount in front and there were four lengths between the pair at the finish.

Harris Tweed led them off at a frenetic gallop and Dettori admitted he had been a little worried with three-quarters of a mile remaining.

He said: “I was a little bit in a panic at the six (furlong marker) and I thought let’s get a bit closer because Midas Touch is no slouch. He keeps on galloping.

“But within a furlong he took me into the race and there was only one winner from then on. I just waited, kicked him on and off he went.”

Waiter’s Dream (5-2) strolled to Group 3 glory in the sportingbet.com Acomb Stakes.

Jockey Kieren Fallon struck for home with a furlong left to travel and eased effortlessly away from the field – beating Silvertrees (8-1) by four and a half lengths.

Trainer Brian Meehan said: “Once he hit the front at the furlong marker it was all over. Kieren said they went a really good gallop from the gate and that suited our horse. The Acomb is always a proper race and I am sure it will work out.”

Afterwards, the juvenile was installed as a 33-1 chance for next year’s 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

“He’s got two speeds – hack or very fast,” was how Great Habton trainer Tim Easterby described his hardy Hamish McGonagall (9-1), who got the Ebor Festival off to a flying start for North Yorkshire trainers in the opening Symphony Group Stakes.

The consistent five-year-old, ridden by Dave Allan, produced another fine display of sprinting to take the lion’s share of the £40,000 prize fund.

Cruising into contention around the half-way mark, Hamish McGonagall briefly had to withstand a challenge from Judge ‘n Jury, before quickening away in the final furlong to win by a length and a half.

Judge ‘n Jury (25-1) edged a photograph with Malton trainer Richard Fahey’s Quest For Success to claim the runner-up spot.

Easterby said: “He’s taken time to come to himself. He’s a big horse and he has strengthened up now.

“This is our Ascot, really (the Ebor Festival).

“We like going there but this is where it all happens and we try to run everything we can here. It’s just hard to get the good ones to run here.”

Hambleton handler Kevin Ryan doubled North Yorkshire’s tally when Puddle Duck took the sportingbet.com Stakes.