Derby hopefuls set to gather for 12-strong Dante field

Saxon Street has already won one trial for the Derby and could get the chance to rubber-stamp his ticket to Epsom by gathering further experience in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes next Thursday.

John and Thady Gosden’s Blue Riband Trial winner is one of a maximum 12 in York’s Derby trial and is joined by stablemates Guildmaster and Wise Prince, with the latter beginning his season by finishing third in Sandown’s Classic Trial last month.

Currently a general 20-1 chance for the Derby, the Marc Chan-owned Saxon Street will now bid to follow in the footsteps of the likes of subsequent Derby hero Golden Horn (2015), plus Wings Of Desire (2016) and Roaring Lion (2018) by tasting Dante success for Clarehaven on the Knavesmire.

Thady Gosden said: “He won nicely first time at Chelmsford. It was probably a slightly unusual route to go straight to the Blue Riband, but it had been moved back a week and it was very nice ground.

“He seemed in good order with himself and did very well at Epsom, he seemed to have come forward a lot for his first start.

“All being well he will go to the Dante, that will be the plan. It will only be his third start, the experience will do him the world of good and hopefully he will run a nice race there.”

Aidan O’Brien has not won the Dante since 2010 but it could be the Ballysax conqueror of Derby hope Pierre Bonnard who leads the Ballydoyle charge in Yorkshire, with Christmas Day one of four possibles for the Coolmore team along with Action, Amadeus Mozart and Italy.

Charlie Appleby also has multiple options with Sandown second Al Zanati, 2000 Guineas runner King’s Trail and Maho Bay all confirmed, albeit the latter is due to run at Lingfield on Saturday.

Andrew Balding’s Item will arrive unbeaten from his juvenile campaign, while William Haggas’ Morshdi dazzled at Newmarket in the Fielden Stakes and redirects from Chester where he was pulled out of an intended run in the Dee Stakes.

Meanwhile there could be a stellar field assembled in the supporting Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes, with proven Group One winning fillies Kalpana and Fallen Angel both amongst the eight confirmations for the 10-furlong Group Two contest.

After a thoroughly consistent season at the highest level, Kalpana ended 2025 with a second top-level success on British Champions Day and is a welcome returnee to the track at five, while the same applies to Karl Burke’s Fallen Angel who rattled home three-straight Group One triumphs against her own sex before ending the year in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

As well as Kalpana, Balding has the option of saddling defending champion See The Fire, who wowed in this race 12 months ago and made a winning comeback in the Nottinghamshire Oaks.

Appleby’s Diamond Rain is another proven performer in a deep list of contenders, also including Ger Lyons’ Red Letter, Simon and Ed Crisford’s Dubai Gold Cup winner Fairy Glen, David Loughnane’s admirable stable star Sparks Fly and James Fanshawe’s ever-improving Sky Safari.