Dante Stakes: runner-by-runner guide plus an 18-1 tip

Derby favourite

The Lion In Winter

returns in the Al Basti Equiworld Dante Stakes on Thursday but he’s not frightened away the opposition. 

A final field of 11 have been declared and there’s been only one bigger line-up this century, when a dozen took part in the 2016 renewal. 

That edition was won by Wings Of Desire, who had only made his debut the previous month. We have a similar candidate to consider this time around in Alpine Trail, who was also unraced as a two-year-old. 

Here's a guide to all the runners, with a prediction as to where each will finish. 

Official rating: 104. Derby odds: 20-1. Dante odds: 13-2. 

Unraced at two, he made a winning debut at Wolverhampton in February before following up at Yarmouth and Newmarket. The Dubawi colt has been learning on the job and a feature of all three of his wins, all at round the Dante trip, has been his strength at the finish. York’s long straight promises to suit this resolute galloper and, while this represents easily his toughest assignment, he almost certainly has more to offer. Had to be supplemented for this and is not in the Derby, but I wouldn’t hold his lack of fancy entries against him. 

Official rating: 104. Derby odds: 50-1. Dante odds: 16-1. 

Team Gosden link up with Kieran Shoemark here, which will provide another sub-plot. Damysus would normally be the ride of James Doyle, who is Wathnan’s No 1 rider, but he remains on the sidelines. The Frankel colt won at Southwell in December and shaped well when third to Swagman in the Classic Trial at Sandown last month, where he tracked the winner through but could not pick up as well as him. He’s entitled to be sharper here but will need to be if he's to thrust himself into the Derby picture. 

Official rating: 100. Derby odds: 100-1. Dante odds: 40-1. 

Lost his maiden tag at Chelmsford in the autumn but bombed out badly in the Derby Trial at Epsom last month, when a combination of not handling the track and race sharpness seemed to tell against him. Connections clearly feel there was a bit more to that lacklustre effort, though, because he’s now being equipped with first-time cheekpieces. 

Official rating: --. Derby odds: --. Dante odds: 40-1. 

Made the most of an easy opportunity when beating two rivals at Doncaster last time, having previously chased home Fifth Column on his debut at Kempton. The winner has since landed a Sandown handicap off a mark of 86. Mister Ritz clearly requires plenty more here, but Ed Walker views him as a prospective French Derby contender. The trainer has said in the build-up: “He wasn’t bought to be a handicapper, so we’ll see where we are. He’s got stacks of speed. I feel he’s more of a 10-furlong horse than a 12-furlong horse.” 

Official rating: 102. Derby odds: 100-1. Dante odds: 28-1. 

Finished a creditable third to Delacroix in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket in October, when trained by Sir Michael Stoute, but was weak in the betting and failed to build on that when a distant third in the Feilden Stakes on his return at Headquarters last month, having been switched to the Gosdens. The grey looks up against it. 

Official rating: --. Derby odds: 50-1. Dante odds: 16-1. 

Made a winning debut in a mile maiden at Sandown in August when favourite, and it’s worth noting the stable’s Westover won the same race first tme out in 2021 before going on to finish second in the Derby. Prince Of Arras seemed to be going nowhere between three out and two out but he stayed on strongly and ended up winning in convincing fashion. The form is nothing special, but it was a taking start and his breeding points to ten furlongs and further suiting him well. On the minus side, Ralph Beckett has had 17 Listed/Group runners in Britain this month and all have been beaten. 

Official rating: 108. Derby odds: 100-1. Dante odds: 18-1. 

It was a decade ago that this colt’s dam, Arabian Queen, upstaged Golden Horn at 50-1 in the Juddmonte International. All five of her progeny have been winners for Andrew Balding, with Royal Playwright having the potential to be best of the lot. He was placed in the Solario Stakes (behind Field Of Gold) and Royal Lodge last year (runner-up to

Wimbledon Hawkeye

) and shaped well under considerate handling when third on his return at Newcastle last month, when kept to a mile. Moving up to ten furlongs seems sure to suit and, with that under his belt, he can make his presence felt for a yard that won this with The Foxes two years ago. He was also stepping up from a mile, having been beaten in lesser company on his reappearance. 

Official rating: 105. Derby odds: 50-1. Dante odds: 33-1. 

Signed off last year with a win on the all-weather at Lingfield but few saw his 40-1 success in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom last month coming. He edged home by a head that day but was aided by several of his rivals failing to give their running, or not handle the track. Regardless of that, he is fit and in form, plus will be suited by a mile-and-a-half when the time comes. 

Official rating: 118. Derby odds: 11-4 fav. Dante odds: 10-11 fav. 

Goes into the Dante as the general 11-4 favourite for the Derby, so there will be plenty of long faces if he does not enhance his claims. His defeat of Wimbledon Hawkeye and Ruling Court in a record time in the Acomb Stakes at last August makes him the form pick, and his breeding suggests jumping up from 7f can only help. Moreover, Aidan O’Brien has his horses in fabulous form. However, the trainer’s record in the Dante is mixed, and none of his previous 27 runners in the race have gone on to win at Epsom. He’s also warned that the colt “will come on a ton” for the run, so odds-on backers cannot say they have not been warned. 

Official rating: 103. Derby odds: 66-1. Dante odds: 14-1. 

It’s been a case of so far, so good. He picked up nicely under hand riding to win on his debut at Thirsk last summer and then ploughed through the mud to win a Listed prize over a mile at Pontefract. That latter success pointed to his stamina reserves, although it’s not easy to get a proper gauge on his form and this will be a very different kind of test. 

Official rating: 112. Derby odds: 40-1. Dante odds: 7-1. 

He was among last year’s top two-year-olds, chasing home The Lion In Winter in the Acomb before readily landing the Royal Lodge (from Royal Playwright) and being placed in the Futurity. This year, kept to a mile, he has kept up the good work – finishing runner-up to Field Of Gold in the Craven before finishing fifth in the 2000 Guineas. He’s had his limitation exposed over 7f/a mile but stepping up in trip should unlock a bit more improvement. This will be his third run inside a month, though, and he must show that run at Newmarket this month has not left a mark. 

This revolves around The Lion In Winter, who will clearly be hard to beat if he can pick up from where he left off. However, his return has been delayed and his trainer’s vehement comments about the run being needed cannot be ignored, even if he is possibly trying to play down his prospects. The each-way alternative looks ROYAL PLAYWRIGHT, an 18-1 chance who boasts a solid level of form and should progress again now he is unleashed over further. 

Predicted finishing order:  1 Royal Playwright 2 The Lion In Winter 3 Wimbledon Hawkeye 4 Alpine Trail 5 Price Of Arras 6 Damysus 7 Sea Scout 8 Mister Rizz  9 Tuscan Hills  10 Nightwalker 11 Devil’s Advocate