The 2024 Dante Stakes: runner-by-runner guide and tip

The jigsaw pieces of the Betfred Derby are gradually falling into place but what is traditionally the most significant trial of all, the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes, is still ahead of us.

North Light (2004), Motivator (2005), Authorized (2007), Golden Horn (2015) and Desert Crown (2022) have all pulled off the Dante/Derby double this century, while Workforce (2010) was third on the Knavesmire before winning at Epsom in a record time. For variety,  year’s edition featured Continuous, who would go on to land the St Leger.

Thursday’s renewal will feature Ancient Wisdom, who already has Group One-wining form on his CV, while Aidan O’Brien will seek to gain a first victory in the race since 2010 with Cambridge. He has had plenty of fancied runners beaten during his barren period.

William Derby, chief executive and clerk of the course at York, said on Sunday that the current going is good to firm but rain is forecast to hit the track on Tuesday.

Here’s a guide to those in the mix. 

Best odds: 7/2. Derby odds: 50/1. 

The son of Night Of Thunder was hard to fault as a juvenile – winning at Ascot and Haydock (solid form) and chasing home Rosallion and Ghostwriter on his other starts. At Haydock, he won in good style from Macduff and Remadd, who chased home Arabian Crown in the Classic Trial at Sandown last month. Fitness is unlikely to be an issue, but the trip is a question mark and connections are certainly keeping their options open. His four Group One entries over the weeks ahead are between a mile and a mile and a half. 

Odds: 11/8. Derby odds: 12/1. 

The Group One Futurity winner has at least 6lb in hand of his rivals according to the official ratings, albeit he has had more opportunities to show what he can do. The Dubawi colt cost €2million as a yearling but did his best to justify that price tag as a two-year-old, with his only defeat in five outings coming when third over 7f at Ascot (behind Rosallion and Al Musmak) in late July. He upped his game after that reverse, winning the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket (put Chief Little Rock and Ambiente Friendly firmly in their place) before taking the spoils at Town Moore a couple of weeks later. He’s shown his form on a range of ground and stepping up to a mile-and-a-quarter seems sure to suit. 

Odds: 10/1. Derby odds: (not entered). 

Was a rare Salisbury winner for Aidan O’Brien when scrambling home there over a mile in early September but he was no match for Grosvenor Square, his stablemate, at Leopardstown next time. The Dubawi colt, out of a Galileo mare, found the Craven Stakes too much of a test of speed but he did plug on quite nicely to finish around 6 ½ lengths fourth to Haatem. This step up in trip seems sure to suit and he’s entitled to be sharper for that comeback run. 

Odds: 5/1. Derby odds: 33/1. 

His form as a two-year-old for Andrew Balding was a notch or three below several of the rivals he is likely to face here but this good looker has clearly raised his game since being switched to Karl Burke. An encouraging third in the Feilden Stakes on his return, he then romped home in a 1m 2f Listed race back at Newmarket. They finished well strung out and the time was slick. This will require more again, but he’s fit, in form, will be ridden forward and seems versatile regards underfoot conditions. 

Odds: 12/1. Derby odds: (not entered). 

Finished an encouraging fourth in a backend maiden on soft ground at Newmarket in November and built on that when landing a 17-runner mile maiden at Newbury in his return last month. He was strong at the finish that day, giving the impression this extra two furlongs will be no problem. This is obviously a big step up in class but William Haggas is not one to over face his horses and, encouragingly, the sixth and eighth from that Newbury race have been subsequent winners. 

Odds: 16/1. Derby odds: 66/1. 

It's a surprise to see him declared after he trailed home last of four runners in the Dee Stakes last week. He was very easy to back at Chester and those who kept the faith knew their fate early on when he was very awkward/slow away from the gates. He had also began sluggishly in the Futurity Stakes at Doncaster last year, although on that occasion it didn't stop him running on to be a good third to Ancient Wisdom. That run puts him in the mix, at big odds, albeit Ancient Wisdom will again be standing in his way.

Odds: 25/1. Derby odds: 100/1. 

Made an instant impact when winning in decisive style over 7f at Doncaster (soft) in late July but he was a well-beaten third behind Dancing Gemini in a Listed race back at Town Moor in mid-September, and he was anonymous when making his return in the Classic Trial at Sandown. It’s still early days with him but it’s easy enough to look elsewhere. 

Charlie Appleby already had a leading Derby contender in Arabian Crown and Ancient Wisdom can book his place by picking up from where he left off last season. He’s got the best form and is open to more improvement up in trip.  Al Musmak will be hard to keep out of the frame if getting the trip, while God's Own gets a swift chance to show he's better than he showed at Chester.

1 ANCIENT WISDOM. 2 AL MUSMAK. 3 GOD'S OWN.