STORM The Stars survived an all-out assault from his rivals and a stewards’ inquiry to boost his St Leger hopes as trainer William Haggas celebrated a big race double at York Racecourse.

The colt, the ante-post favourite for the final Classic of the season at Doncaster next month, repelled both Tashaar and Bondi Beach to beat the latter by half a length in the £173,000 Group 2 Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes – just half an hour after Haggas had claimed the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes with Recorder.

Tough as teak, Storm The Stars (3-1) still drifted across the track as the winning line approached but, after a dramatic inquiry in the weighing room, the places remained unaltered.

“He’s a tough horse,” said Haggas. “He’s very hard. You can’t give him enough work. He wants to win. He has got an extremely good rider at home.

“If he was a human being he would have an ear-ring through his nose and eyebrow. He is a bit of a rebel to society. But when the chips are down he goes for it and that’s all you want.”

Recorder, meanwhile, carried the Queen’s silks to a classy victory in the Acomb.

Haggas’s 4-1 joint-favourite was slowly away but soon on terms and travelled powerfully to the front with a quarter-of-a-mile left to travel.

Bing Bang Bong proved his greatest danger, travelling up the stands’ side rail, but Frankie Dettori, on board Recorder, always had his measure and rallied his young mount to a length and a quarter success in the £85,000 contest.

Following up a smart win at Newmarket last time out, Haggas has high hopes for the son of Galileo and said of his future plans: “I’d like to go next for the National Stakes at the Curragh. This was obviously a big test but there are bigger to come.

“I think he is ready for it. He’s quite a mature horse and I think we will try and be positive. He has got some speed.

"He's got some smart entries and he's the best horse I've had for Her Majesty, I'd like to say so far. He's very well bred, I'm lucky to have him and thankfully he's got lots of ability, too."

Malton trainer Richard Fahey might enjoy the easiest winner of the week when Mayfair Lady (12-1) destroyed a useful-looking field by five lengths in the Betway Stakes.

He said: "I looked at the field beforehand and it looked a warm race. She has spread-eagled them. She is only going to get better. It is a fantastic meeting and York have really pushed it. There is fantastic prize money on and, for me, it is better than Royal Ascot - because it is 20 minutes away."

Elsewhere, long-time leader Caspian Prince (20-1) held off a surging Highland Acclaim, trained by Nawton's David O’Meara, to land the opening Symphony Group Stakes for jockey Robert Winston.

"He's run a very good race, but it definitely paid to be in front,” said O’Meara of his runner-up. “He was the only horse to make up any ground from the rear.

"I would like to think we could run him in the Ayr Gold Cup."