Impressive Wood Ditton scorer Passenger is entrusted with upholding Sir Michael Stoute’s fine record in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York.
Stoute has won the premier Betfred Derby trial seven times throughout his illustrious career and last year sent out Desert Crown to triumph on the Knavesmire before subsequently marching on to Epsom glory.
Now it is the turn of Passenger to stake his Classic claims, and having seen the rain scupper his intended outing at Chester last week, the Ulysses colt was supplemented into this Group Two event at a cost of £14,000.
“Passenger was a non-runner at Chester because of soft ground, but should have the perfect ground for him in the Dante,” said Alan Cooper, racing manager for owner the Niarchos family.
“It will be a big step up from the Wood Ditton, with the Dante being just his second start, and we will learn a bit more about him for the experience.
“It’s a stepping stone and we’ll see how he takes it, and Sir Michael will then make a plan afterwards. The hope is he is confirms the potential of the Wood Ditton and we can take it from there.”
John Gosden has won this three times in the past 10 years – including with Epsom hero Golden Horn – and alongside son Thady, will put Epictetus’ Derby credentials to the test following his success in the Blue Riband Trial last month.
“He won over a mile and a quarter in the Blue Riband on his last start and he steps up in trip this time. Hopefully the track and trip will suit him,” said Thady Gosden.
“He’s come out of Epsom really well and fingers crossed he will run a nice race again.”
James Ferguson’s Canberra Legend also has a victory in a key trial to his name, having taken the Feilden Stakes in fine style and the Kremlin Cottage handler is hoping this will give an indication as to how high he should aim the unbeaten son of Australia.
“He was impressive enough in the Feilden and has done everything right so far. He’s ticked all the boxes and his last piece of work was exactly what we wanted,” said Ferguson.
“We’re going there full of confidence, but with the understanding that it is another massive step up. It’s one of the top Derby trials and we’re up against some very good horses.
“Winning a Feilden at Newmarket gives us the confidence we have a good horse on our hands and this is about finding out about how good if everything goes right – whether it is Epsom, Ascot or France.”
Another heading to the Knavesmire with a perfect record is Aidan’s O’Brien’s Continuous, who won a Group Three in France on his final start at two and will bid to give his handler a fifth Dante as he reappears in the hands of Ryan Moore.
“This looks the most significant Derby trial so far in terms of depth,” Moore told Betfair.
“You can obviously make a case for a few given their unexposed profiles and I suppose none more so than Passenger, who impressed me when winning the Wood Ditton and comes here after being taken out of the Dee Stakes last week because of the ground.
“My colt Continuous is also unbeaten, as is the Feilden winner Canberra Legend, and he comes here in good shape, having showed a lot of ability and a very willing attitude when winning both of his races at two.
“He wouldn’t have the stamina-laden pedigree of some, but the way he won his Group Three in France over a mile in testing ground suggests this trip is well worth trying. I think he is decent, but we shall see. Ideally, he would prefer a bit of dig but good ground on a flat track like York should be fine.”
John Murphy’s Ballysax scorer White Birch is another making the trip from Ireland, having seen his Leopardstown form upheld by the runner-up at the Dublin track recently.
“He’s in super form. We couldn’t be happier with him and we’re looking forward to it,” said George Murphy, assistant to his father.
“This is a bigger test again and it will be good to see what White Birch can now do. It looks a very hot race on paper and everyone is going there thinking they have the winner. Hopefully he is good enough, but he is in good shape and we think he will run a big race.”
Charlie Appleby won the Dante with Hurricane Lane in 2021 and having seen Military Order fly to the top of the Derby betting when scoring at Lingfield on Saturday, now looks to add a second string to his Epsom bow with Flying Honours, who ended a fine juvenile campaign by winning the Zetland Stakes in October.
“Flying Honours was meant to run at Sandown last month, but the meeting was abandoned, so we took him for a racecourse gallop at Newmarket instead,” the Moulton Paddocks handler told godolphin.com.
“We were very pleased with how that went and he goes into this in great order.
“We know that he gets this trip, having won the Zetland on his final two-year-old start, and feel that he has the scope to improve again as we step him up over further. It looks a competitive renewal of the Dante and whoever wins will be a leading player for the Derby.”
Andrew Balding’s The Foxes accounted for Flying Honours when claiming the Royal Lodge at two and made an encouraging return when second in the Craven Stakes last month. The Churchill colt could be suited by the step up to 10 furlongs, as could Roger Teal’s consistent Dancing Magic, who was a place behind in third at Newmarket.
A mile and a quarter could also play to the strengths of the King Of Steel, who created a taking impression on debut at Nottingham last year and was then been deemed good enough to take his chance in a Doncaster Group One shortly after.
He has since joined Roger Varian ahead of his Classic season and the Carlburg Stables handler believes he is giving all the right signals in his work at home.
He said. “He was impressive on his first start last year then he ran in the Group One at Doncaster.
“He has trained like a good horse all spring and we’re looking forward to running him.
“He’s a big horse but light on his feet and we’ll see how he measures up in the Dante, which will give us some direction whether he is an Epsom horse or a horse for one of those races at Royal Ascot.”
Burradon Stakes scorer Dear My Friend and Feilden third Killybegs Warrior both represent Charlie Johnston, while Karl Burke’s Liberty Lane completes the line-up, having chased home Waipiro at Newmarket.
Chindit in top form for potential swansong at Newmarket
The in-form Chindit will bid for a fantastic three-timer in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Joel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.
Richard Hannon’s five-year-old has won at Group level in each of the four years he has been in training with the Everleigh handler and has thrived of late, adding Sandown’s Fortune Stakes to the Group Three Superior Mile he secured at Haydock earlier this month.
He will now attempt to end September on a real high in a race which could be his final outing before commencing stallion duties for owner Dr Cyrus Poonawalla in India.
Hannon said: “I’ve been very happy with him at home and he’s just doing his routine canters and moving great – he’s arguably in the form of his life.
“He’s a gentleman and a pleasure to have around and I think this might well be his last run before he goes to India to stand as a stallion.
“He’s top-class and has been ultra-consistent and deserves his shot at a nice big race like this.”
Standing in Chindit’s way is Charlie Hills’ defending champion Mutasaabeq who made all in good style 12 months ago.
Four of his six career victories have come on the Rowley Mile, but he has been without a win since scoring at the track in May and having somewhat disappointed in his most recent efforts, connections are hoping his love affair with the track can see him bounce back to his very best.
Hills said: “He seems to love Newmarket and the Rowley Mile. He has a great record there and it has always been the plan really to aim him at this race after York.
“He’s been good (since York). We were a bit disappointed and he didn’t finish off his race as well as he could have done. We’ve had no problems with him and his work has been good leading up to this race so we’ll see how we get on.
“There is not too many runners in it and I’m not sure what the tactics will be, but we’ve got a good record there.”
William Haggas’ Maljoom counts a German 2000 Guineas triumph among three wins from his first four starts and could be classed as an unlucky loser when seeing his unbeaten record ended in the St James’s Palace Stakes at last year’s Royal Ascot.
He now returns from 472 days off for this Group Two event, while John and Thady Gosden have a decent hand saddling both Epictetus and Sovereign Stakes scorer Mighty Ulysses, who had Sir Michael Stoute’s reopposing Regal Reality behind in third at Salisbury.
It could prove a profitable afternoon for the Clarehaven team who also hold all the aces in the Princess Royal Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Stakes with Running Lion and Sweet Memories.
The former was extremely progressive earlier in the campaign before seeing her momentum checked in both the Oaks at Epsom – when withdrawn at the start – and then the French equivalent when well held.
She was a keeping-on second following a break at Salisbury last month and is now upped in trip for a first try at 12 furlongs.
The Frankie Dettori-ridden Coppice and Atalanta Stakes second Queen For You dominate the market in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai British EBF Rosemary Stakes, another race in which the Gosden training team have leading claims.
Meanwhile the lightly-raced Lion’s Pride is also given the chance to confirm his potential in a competitive Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Godolphin Stakes which features last year’s St Leger runner-up New London and Lion’s Pride’s Windsor conqueror Candleford.
Greek Order ready for Cambridgeshire test
Greek Order will bid to show the Pattern-class potential connections hoped he possessed at the start of the season when he takes his chance in the bet365 Cambridgeshire at Newmarket.
Trained by Roger and Harry Charlton, the Juddmonte-owned colt is a full-brother to the smart Sangarius and has found his feet following placed efforts on his first three starts.
Having got his head in front at Sandown in May, he followed up at Newbury in August – form boosted by four and a half length runner-up Maximilian Caesar winning next time out at Doncaster.
Greek Order now bids to become the first three-year-old to win the first leg of the autumn double since the high-class Lord North in 2019.
“It’s a very difficult task, he’s a very inexperienced three-year-old horse taking on seasoned campaigners, but he’s a nice horse and we’re giving it a go,” said Barry Mahon, racing manager for the owners.
“You probably do need to be a Group horse, and earlier this season we probably thought we’d have gone out of handicaps by now, but just the first couple of runs of the year didn’t pan out for him.
“We took our time and he had a little hold-up then midsummer, so we were a little bit behind the eight-ball, hence the reason we’re still in the handicap division, but we’re looking forward to seeing him.”
Oisin Murphy retains the ride after being on board at Newbury and is looking forward to the challenge.
He told Racing TV: “The Cambridgeshire is a very hard race to win but he’s nicely weighted and on past renewals he has a nice draw.”
Shuwari commanding plenty of attention on Newmarket return
Shuwari returns from a two-month absence in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday, with her form being franked in some style during that lay-off.
Ollie Sangster’s filly followed up a Newbury novice stakes success by getting the better of Fallen Angel in the Listed-class Star Stakes at Sandown towards the end of July.
That runner-up has since gone on to land the Sweet Solera at Newmarket and the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.
“We’re looking forward to it,” said Sangster. “Her first two runs were pretty straightforward, she looks a lovely filly and I think the better ground will bring out the best in her.
“We wanted to run her in the Prestige at Goodwood, but she suffered a small setback which ruled that out.
“So she’s not as battle-hardened as some of the other runners in the race, but that can’t be helped and we’re hopeful she can carry on improving.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Ylang Ylang bids to redeem her lofty reputation in this Group Two contest over seven furlongs after disappointing in the Moyglare.
The Frankel filly was made favourite for next year’s 1000 Guineas following a couple of convincing victories, but finished last of nine at the Curragh earlier this month.
Carla’s Way was a beaten favourite in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot after impressing on her Doncaster debut, but showed the benefit of a wind operation last time out.
The daughter of Starspangledbanner was prominent for a long way when second to Darnation in the Prestige Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood.
Ed Crisford said: “She ran a nice race at Goodwood when finishing second on ground that probably didn’t suit her. She comes into this in good form, I think she’s just come on a bit for that run, and the going should be spot on for her this time.”
Spiritual was weak in the market before her Leicester debut and showed signs of greenness early on, but overcame that inexperience in fine fashion.
John and Thady Gosden’s charge is bred to stay and the €280,000 purchase galloped on strongly to win going away.
Alshinfarah claimed wins at Doncaster and Haydock before finishing a close third behind Freville in a Group Three at ParisLongchamp.
Jim Crowley’s mount made the running over a mile and was only headed in the closing stages, so dropping back down in distance could suit.
Zenjabeela gets a deserved step up in class following strikes at Southwell and Beverley, showing a good attitude to wear down subsequent Ayr scorer Miss Roberts at the Yorkshire track.
Carolina Reaper was well beaten in the Sweet Solera after an emphatic success on the July course here but recovered to secure some black type in Germany last time out.
Charlie Johnston’s charge battled on well to edge out Schutzenzauber by a neck in a Group Three contest at Baden-Baden.
Marcella has a Chester win to her credit but was 50-1 when fifth of six in a Haydock Listed event.
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