The Paul Mulrennan Column: Dante winner looks the real deal

It’s been a relatively quiet week for me at York, with just a couple of rides, but they both ran well at big prices and now I’m going to be busy over the next few days with plenty of rides at Thirsk, Redcar and Carlisle.

Like everyone else, I’d been looking forward to Thursday’s Dante Stakes and the race didn’t disappoint, even if Too Darn Hot wasn’t able to maintain his unbeaten record.

The Dante was a truly-run race right from the start and, if anything, you were left feeling that the lead horse helped the winner, Telecaster, as much as the runner-up.

I certainly wouldn’t write off Too Darn Hot yet from bouncing back and proving himself as good at three as he was at two, as he was definitely fresh and he lacked the edge that the winner might have had in fitness.

But I wouldn’t be negative about the winner either – he looked the real deal to me, he chased a proper pace and just outgunned Too Darn Hot. He looked a big, strong powerful horse. There was no hiding place at all and he galloped all the way to the line. If connections decide to supplement him for the Investec Derby, they could have a strong contender.

The Listed race that I rode in, the Westow Stakes, is a race that will throw up winners. I was fourth for Michael on a filly called Deia Glory, but the winner, Garrus, broke the track record at Nottingham, and he’s moving up the grades quickly. The first three finished nicely ahead and they are all decent prospects for sprints this season.

As for my rides at Thirsk on Saturday, it will be great to get Byron’s Choice back out on the track again.

He did very well when he completed a hat-trick last year and he has done very well physically - he’s a big strong horse and we expect a big run out of him. He’s a got a nice-looking draw in stall one too.

It’s his first run for a while in the Constant Security Services Handicap and I’d hope he will come on for it, but he’s a horse we always thought a hell of a lot about. He’s still only lightly raced as well. Sometimes when they are off for a while, it can prove a blessing as it gives them time to develop and he is a big lad, so hopefully he has got the scope to improve again this year.

Kashagan is a nice horse whom I won on at Newcastle first time out, when he beat a long odds-on favourite of Sir Michael Stoute’s. I liked him a lot that day, he was green and overcame that to win, so with some natural improvement you’d expect him to run well in the Richard Foster Tribute Novice Stakes.

I have a good strike-rate for his trainer Archie Watson. I’ve only ridden six for him and three of them have won, so let’s hope we can improve that record even further.

Shepherds Way, who I ride in the opener, is a nice type by Dark Angel. It’s her first day at school, so you are always going to be more hopeful than anything else, but her work has been good.

Jawwaal looks a lovely recruit to Michael's team and we think a lot of him. He's been third and second in his two starts so far for the yard and it would be lovely if he could get his head in front for the first time for us in the JW 4x4 Northallerton Handicap.

I have to mention Franny Norton after his win in the Chester Cup last week. He is someone that every young jockey should look up to. He’s had plenty of ups and downs in his career, but he works really hard on his fitness. For a 48-year-old, he really is in fantastic shape physically.

He was very good in putting me in touch with Dr George Wilson and Liverpool John Moores University, and the help I got with my diet there was invaluable.

Franny is one of the most competitive men you would meet in the weighing room, but being competitive doesn’t have to mean that you can’t also be a sound man. He’s a legend.