Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes: runner-by-runner guide

The traditional trials for the Betfred Derby have failed to yield a clear favourite for the premier Classic.

After going round in circles, we are almost back to where we started with Auguste Rodin close to the head of the ante-post betting despite his lamentable comeback run in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas.

The picture could yet all change with Thursday’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York promising plenty of clues.

Twelve runners have been declared for a Group Two race that so often proves the vital piece in the Derby jigsaw. There has not been a bigger field all century.

Desert Crown won last year’s renewal before taking the Derby, just as North Light (2004), Motivator (2005), Authorized (2007) and Golden Horn (2015) did before him. Shirley Heights, Shahrastani, Reference Point, Erhaab and Benny The Dip have been among others to pull off the double.

You don’t even have to win the Dante to be a major player in the Derby a few weeks later. Workforce was beaten at York in 2010 before winning the big one in a record time.

Here’s a guide to the Dante dozen. Enjoy the £180,000 feature live on Racing TV.

Timeform rating: 122p. Best odds: 13-2.

This son of Australia (the horse who won the Derby in 2014, not the nation) is a flashy chestnut who fills the eye. He made a taking winning debut at Newcastle in February before making light of a swift jump in class when landing the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket last month. Connections half-considered a tilt at the 2000 Guineas after that success but have taken this path. The Derby dream is still alive but for much how longer? The Feilden form looks nothing special – the runner-up has since fluffed his lines in a minor event at Goodwood – and his half-brother, Youth Spirit, was well held in the Derby two years ago having won the Chester Vase beforehand.

Timeform rating: 117p. Best odds: 7-1.

It’s been 13 years since Aidan O’Brien last landed the Dante with his 14 contenders during this time including four beaten favourites – Seville (5-4), Ernest Hemmingway (11-4), Indian Chief (11-4) and High Definition (13-8). All 11 of his solo runners or apparent “first strings” have gone off at single-figure odds but all have returned to Ballydoyle defeated. What I’m trying to say here is be careful when it comes to siding with an apparent Aidan ace on the Knavesmire. Continuous will be oblivious to all these stats, of course. Like so many from his yard, he’s impeccably bred and he travels over with an unblemished record. He looked streetwise when making most on his debut at The Curragh in August and then followed up in a Group Three at Saint-Cloud that will be forever remembered for Christophe Soumillon elbowing a rival out of the saddle. The Curragh form hasn’t worked out, while the French race looked relatively low lying fruit. This well tell us more, but none of O’Brien’s previous eight Derby winners have run in this en route to glory at Epsom. And perhaps most tellingly of all, Continuous isn’t among the 29 horses that O’Brien has engaged in the Derby.

Timeform rating: 116. Best odds: 28-1.

Still a maiden after six starts but he’s made the frame in Group races in his past three starts, including on his return when a creditable third behind Indestructible and The Foxes in the Craven Stakes. Stamina bred, he’s been crying out for further than a mile and now he gets a chance to express himself over a trip more in keeping with his pedigree. He’s the type to outruns his odds but it will be a surprise if he is good enough to take the spoils. Usually makes the running or races up near the pace. He’s not entered in the Derby.

Timeform rating: 118. Best odds: 20-1.

A relatively cheap buy, he progressed well for his syndicate of owners last year without looking a superstar. After initial wins at Carlisle and Beverley, he had his limitations exposed in better company over a range of trips. There was plenty to like about his reappearance win from Flight Plan and Galeron in Listed company over a mile at Newcastle last month. His closest pursuers subsequently ran contrasting races in the 2000 Guineas. It could be that a mile is his best trip as he seemed to have his stamina stretched when third in last year’s Zetland Stakes. Equally, he should be a stronger model this term.

Timeform rating: 123. Best odds: 9-2.

He was a most taking winner on his debut over 7f at Newmarket in July when Desert Order (pipped by Arrest next time before successive wins) and Flying Honours (only subsequent defeat in four starts when a close third in the Royal Lodge) were among those left chasing his shadow. Epictetus was then absent three months before being worn down late on by the more experienced Silver Knott in the Autumn Stakes on the Rowley Mile before he chased home Auguste Rodin on heavy ground in the Vertem Futurity. That all adds up to solid form and he has resumed winning ways this term; taking the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom despite underfoot conditions again being testing. I fancy he will enjoy getting back on some decent ground and the Kingman colt rates a leading player. Don’t be in a rush to back him for the Derby should he win, though, because the French equivalent, over the same trip as the Dante, has been mentioned for him.

Timeform rating: 119p. Best odds: 9-2.

There was plenty to like about his first season when he gained commanding wins at Sandown and Salisbury before knuckling down well to land the Zetland Stakes in the autumn. He had been too immature to do himself justice on his debut (when fourth to Epictetus) and forgive him his surprise defeat in the Royal Lodge on his penultimate start as the race turned into a two-furlong sprint. The son of Sea The Stars seems sure to progress again this campaign, with this trip likely to be a minimum. He will have no trouble getting the Derby distance down the line and it’s unlikely fitness will be an issue even though he has been absent seven months.

Timeform rating: 119. Best odds: 50-1.

He won a maiden and a nursery at Newmarket last year but looks to be out of his depth in this grade. No excuses when a well-held fifth in the Autumn Stakes towards the end of last year (behind several of these) and has been unable to get his head in front in three starts this term, for all he was far from disgraced when a close third to Canberra Legend in the Feilden Stakes last time. Others are superior and open to greater improvement. Holds no other big-race entries.

Timeform rating: 107p. Best odds: 25-1.

The grey dwarfed his rivals in the paddock when making his debut at Nottingham in October and made a big impression in the race, too, as he coasted to an easy win. He was fast-tracked to the Group One Vertem Futurity just ten days later but was unable to make much impact. It could reasonably be argued that race at Town Moor came too soon for him, with the testing ground also making for an attritional test. He’s bred to stay well and it will be interesting to see what he can do this term, having been switched to the yard of Roger Varian.

Timeform rating: 105. Best odds: 28-1.

The market spoke in his favour before he made a winning debut in emphatic fashion on soft ground at Nottingham in October, although he probably didn’t beat much. He was also popular in the betting for his return in a novice event at Newmarket but proved no match for Waipiro, who was getting 7lb. The winner has since split Military Order and Circle Of Fire in the Derby Trial at Lingfield, so Liberty Lane was probably up against it at Headquarters. He’s looked at home on soft/softish ground but that’s not to say he won’t handle the likely better conditions. The trip is no issue and he should also stay further.

Timeform rating: 102p. Best odds: 11-2.

There was a time when the Wood Ditton always seemed to be won by a class act but it’s been a decade since the race last yielded a really good one in the shape of Mukhadram, who won the Coral-Eclipse a couple of years later. There’s been quite a buzz about Passenger since his win in the race last month but he was up against only seven runners and Timeform noted the majority were backward or in need of the experience. Passenger was himself flighty and green in the preliminaries (causing him to drift to 11-1 in the market) but he was straightforward once the gates opened and forged clear in the closing stages after being well placed. It’s impossible to know what he achieved, or what me might achieve, but the winning time was modest and there will be no room for any babyish behaviour on this occasion. It’s likely a big chunk of improvement will be required if he is to follow up here.

Timeform rating: 121p. Best odds: 7-1.

Came good in the second half of last term when losing his maiden tag at Glorious Goodwood before coming out on top in a muddling Royal Lodge Stakes (form of the race difficult to trust). Looked like winning the Craven Stakes when hitting the front going strongly two out on his return but he drifted right and got outspeeded by Indestructible in what looked an average renewal. Of course, it could be that he just lacked a bit of peak condition that day, although the market spoke in his favour and it doesn’t account for his late waywardness. His pedigree points to him staying at least this far.

Timeform rating: 120p. Best odds: 10-1.

The dam’s side of his breeding is all about speed but the grey has clearly inherited plenty of stamina from his sire, Ulysses, who is also represented here by Passenger. White Birch was a wide-margin winner of a modest maiden at Dundalk in November and left that form well behind when coming from last to first in last month’s Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown. My first instinct is that the leaders might have gone too hard and that the race might have fallen in his lap, but that would be doing him a disservice. However, whether it was a deep Ballysax is debatable. The half-length runner-up has since been no match for Sprewell in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown, while the fourth, Serious Challenge, has subsequently twice come up short in lesser races. Several of the home team have achieved more and, in addition, hold-up tactics at York can be tricky to execute.

An intriguing race in which Epictetus looks a solid option. His form reads well, he’s got a run under his belt this term and, unlike others in the line-up, this may just be his optimum trip. He’s coped well enough with deep ground but I’m sure his connections will be pleased to see him back on a sound surface. Flying Honours finished well adrift of Epictetus when they met on their respective debuts but seems likely to be give him much more to think about this time.

1 Epictetus. 2 Flying Honours. 3 The Foxes