Key events
PRIDE OF ARRAS 5-1 FOR THE DERBY AFTER DANTE SUCCESS
Pride Of Arras started the day as a 50-1 chance for the Derby at Epsom next month, a once-raced maiden winner who had not seen a racecourse for 280 days up against much more familiar names in the Dante Stakes, the last of the recognised trials for the colts’ Classic at Epsom on 7 June. By mid-afternoon, though, his odds had crashed to just 5-1 after Ralph Beckett’s colt quickened sharply on the way to a one-and-quarter length defeat of Damysus, with The Lion In Winter, the hot favourite, four lengths behind the winner in sixth.
Pride Of Arras runs in the colours of Yorkshire-based owners David and Vimy Aykroyd and was up against Classic contenders from several of the turf’s powerhouse operations. He was also the most inexperienced runner in the field, but certainly did not lack for either confidence, as he eased through a small gap towards the lead, or instant acceleration when he hit the front.
“We’ve been tough on him to get him here because he’s so inexperienced,” Becket said afterwards. “But he’ll come forward for today as well, in terms of his lack of experience. It was everything we hoped for and more, and he’s worthy of his place [in the Derby].
“It’s difficult [to assess how good he is]. I’ve trained for Mrs Aykroyd all my career, and he’s a homebred. He’s not a Westover, he’s not [Arc winner] Bluestocking [from the powerful Juddmonte operation]. He does have a very good back-pedigree [by New Bay out of an Oasis Dream mare], but he doesn’t have perhaps the profile of those when it comes to pedigree.
“But he has more speed than Westover, he’s a better work horse than Westover was. It’s all in front of us, I hope. If he handles Epsom, which I think he will, and if he handles the jamboree, which based on today, I think he will, then we’ve every right to think we’re going there to be competitive. What happens after that, who knows.”
This was the fourth time that Aidan O’Brien, The Lion In Winter’s trainer, had arrived at the Knavesmire hoping to complete a clean sweep of the five major trials for the Derby at Chester, Lingfield, Leopardstown and York, and the fourth time that he had failed at the final hurdle.
“The good thing about it is that Ryan [Moore] was very happy, and that’s positive,” O’Brien said. “The horse is going to improve, and when I say that, I mean he will make a lot of improvement.
Quick GuideGreg Wood’s Friday tips
Show
Newbury 1.55 Newfangled 2.25 Into Battle 3.00 Words Of Truth 3.33 Sea Force 4.05 Indian Springs 4.45 Hinchinbrooke 5.20 Channagide 5.55 An Bradan Feasa
York 2.10 Eternal Solace (nb) 2.42 Debora’s Dream 3.13 Consecrated 3.45 Epic Poet (nap) 4.15 Cape Sovereign 4.55 Bowmark 5.30 Musical Touch
Newmarket 2.18 Onemorenomore 2.52 Wicked 3.25 Stacey Racey 4.00 Logi Bear 4.38 Fouroneohfever 5.15 Forever My Prince
Aintree 5.10 Ronnies Rules 5.45 Sainte Doctor 6.20 Fingal’s Hill 6.55 Finn Lough 7.30 Masked Dance 8.05 Lively Citizen 8.40 Amatchmadeinheaven
Hamilton 5.35 Woohoo 6.05 Blue Mantle 6.40 Mafting 7.15 Creatif 7.50 Starliner 8.25 Dingwall 9.00 Ignac Lamar
“If he had jumped and done everything right, you may have got away with it but he did nothing right. We know he has got class and he has speed and we will decide now whether he goes to Epsom or the French Derby.”
The Lion In Winter will no doubt improve for the run, but the same is also true of both Pride Of Arras and Damysus, who was running for the third time on Thursday, and it could well be Delacroix, the winner of the Leopardstown Derby Trial four days ago, that heads to Epsom as O’Brien’s prime contender for a record-extending 11th Derby victory.
Delacroix is the new Derby favourite at 5-2, with Ruling Court, the 2,000 Guineas winner, at 4-1 and Pride of Arras a point longer at 5-1. The Lion In Winter is out to 6-1 and it is 10-1 bar the four.
So, what impact has the Dante Stakes had on the Derby betting? Quite a significant one, as you might expect, most obviously as a result of Pride Of Arras crashing from 50-1 to around 4-1. The top of the market now looks like this:
5-2 Delacroix
3-1 Ruling Court
4-1 Pride Of Arras
5-1 The Lion In Winter
10-1 Damysus, Twain
14-1 Lambourn
20-1 Stanhope Gardens, Wimbledon Hawkeye, Mount Kilimanjaro
25-1 bar
Aidan O’Brien, meanwhile, was far from despondent over the performance of The Lion In Winter.
“We felt when he came here that he was going to improve a lot after the race,” O’Brien told ITV Racing’s Rishi Persad. “When you think that, you don’t usually win unless everything goes right for you.
“Ryan said he was a bit keen with him, he settled lovely in the race but he had to come out earlier than he wanted down the straight and then he just got chopped a little bit.
“But Ryan was very positive about him, he said he feels very classy. It didn’t work for him today, but win, lose or draw, we knew he had to run today if we were going to Epsom.”
Cast your mind back 12 months and William Haggas was very iffy about running the easy Dante winner, Economics, in the Derby due to his inexperience (and eventually he steered his colt around the race).
Ralph Beckett, though, is in no doubt about where Pride Of Arras will be going.
“It was everything I’d hoped for and more,” Beckett said afterwards, “and he’s worthy of his place [in the Derby].
“It’s all in front of us, I hope. If he handles Epsom, which I think he will, and he handles the jamboree, which based on today, I think he will, then we’ve every right to think we’re going there to be competitive. What happens after that, who knows?”
Pride Of Arras settled beautifully for Rossa Ryan, moved through the gears well and then had the confidence to squeeze through a small gap before quickening clear.
The Lion In Winter, meanwhile, faded to finish sixth of the 11 runners, while Alpine Trail was last across the line.
Here’s the closing stages from the ITV Racing Twitter/X feed:
An immense performance by Pride Of Arras, not least as it was only his second start, and he has been cut to around 4-1 second-favourite for the Derby.
YORK 3.45 RESULT: Dante delight for Ralph Beckett’s Pride Of Arras
1. PRIDE OF ARRAS 18-1, 2. Damysus 16-1, 3. Wimbledon Hawkeye 7-1.
Turning in, Devil’s Advocate still sets the pace, Alpine Trail travels well … The Lion In Winter and Tuscan Hills making progress, but Pride Of Arras is going best of all … Pride Of Arras continues to make ground, hits the front and goes on to win comfortably … He’ll be a big fancy for the Derby after this!
The Lion In Winter takes a strong early hold … Devil’s Advocate sets the pace for Godolphin … Alpine Trail alongside, The Lion In Winter now settled in mid-division
Off and running in the Dante Stakes!
Aidan O’Brien is here in person to see The Lion In Winter by the way, make of that what you will.
Going to post for the Dante, The Lion In Winter was not a stand-out in the paddock but looks well enough and is now down to even-money for the last of the Derby trials. Alpine Trail is a clear second-favourite now at 9-2, Wimbledone Hawkeye is out to 7-1.
That was something of a statement performance by See The Fire and who knows, we may be about to get another one shortly as teh field for the Dante Stakes is in the paddock. The Lion In Winter is the 6-5 favourite, Alpine Trail is second-favourite at 9-2, it’s 6-1 Wimbledone Hawkeye and 12-1 bar.
See The Fire crossed the line 12 LENGTHS clear of her field, and it could probably have been a fair bit more if Oisin Murphy had gone on earlier.
It was the performance of a serious Group One horse, and Andrew Balding, her trainer, is looking towards the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in July.
“We made a bit of a bollocks of it last year,” Balding said, “starting at a mile and staying at a mile for too long really, but she obviously relishes the mile-and-a-quarter.”
YORK 3.13 RESULT: See The Fire turns on the afterburners
1. SEE THE FIRE 8-11 FAV, 2. Beautiful Love 12-1, 3. Royal Dress 14-1.
Doha sets the early pace, Nakheel close up, See The Fire held up with just one behind her …
Turning out of the back, Doha still leads, Karmology making some ground to go second … Nakheel still close up …
Into the straight, See The Fire and Oisin Murphy make swift progress on the bridle …Doha and Karmology lead but surely only a matter of time … now Oisin Murphy says go and wow!, what a response. See The Fire has accelerated many lengths clear of her pursuers, what a statement performance, she’s an easy, easy winner …
Off and running in the Middleton Stakes …
The eight runners are at the post for the Middleton Stakes, See The Fire is a solid favourite at around 5-6, with Doha on 5-1 and Nakheel next in the betting at 8-1. Beautiful Love is out to 14-1 (from an opening price of 11-1) but she definitely caught the eye going to post.
DANTE CONTENDER: Tuscan Hills
Raphael Freire’s colt, running for the ever-expanding Amo Racing operation founded by top football agent Kia Joorabchian, also needs to be mentioned, as he is unbeaten in two starts as a juvenile and has an entry in the Derby. Joorabchian has already seen a couple of colts in his purple colours make the frame at big odds at Epsom, and Tuscan Hills would be a timely winner given a. the millions he has splashed on both horses and property in recent months, and b. the disappointing run of his £1.75m purchase Celestial King at Ascot five days ago.
DANTE CONTENDER: Pride Of Arras
Ralph Beckett’s colt is the darkest of the dark horses in today’s race, having run only once in a maiden race at Sandown last August. Perhaps significantly, though, it was the same maiden that Beckett used to launch the racing career of the top-class Westover in 2021 and he, of course, went on to finish third in the Derby and then win the Irish equivalent at the Curragh three weeks later.
This is the only free video I can find of Pride Of Arras’s win, it’s a weakish contest but he does show a very impressive turn of foot.
DANTE CONTENDER: Damysus
John & Thady Gosden’s runner, the mount of the much put-upon Kieran Shoemark, who lost his job as the stable’s No.1 jockey after his second-place finish on Field Of Gold in the 2,000 Guineas, won a minor race at Southwell in December and then made his debut on turf when third in the Classic Trial at Sandown in April.
DANTE CONTENDER: Alpine Trail
Unraced at two, Charlie Appleby’s late-developing three-year-old was supplemented for today’s race and is looking to extend his unbeaten record to four since his debut at Wolverhampton in February. His latest win was in the Newmarket Stakes, when he made all the running and showed an excellent turn of foot to put the race to bed.
DANTE CONTENDER: Wimbledon Hawkeye
After finishing second to The Lion In Winter in the Acomb, James Owen’s colt went on to win the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket by one-and-a-half lengths, with Royal Playwright, a 16-1 shot for today’s Dante, in second.
He was then third in the Group One Futurity at Doncaster, behind Hotazhell and one of Aidan O’Brien’s leading Derby candidates, Delacroix, and has been busy already this season, having chased home Field Of Gold, the subsequent runner-up in the 2,000 Guineas, in the Craven Stakes …
… before finishing fifth, and looking like he will improve for today’s step up to 10 furlongs, in the Classic itself.
YORK 2.42 RESULT: Old Cock frustrates Sisyphean task
1. OLD COCK 9-2, 2. Sisyphean 5-2 fav, 3. La Trinidad 18-1.
Ryan Moore managed to get to the front on Sisyphean from his wide draw … he leads the field into the straight but here come the challengers … Old Cock coming with a run … Sisyphean stays on again but he can’t hold off Old Cock, who goes on to win
Off and running for the 2.42 York …
They are going into the stalls here for the 2.42, Sisyphean has replaced Blue For You as favourite …
That was an impressive success by American Affair given that he was racing off a career-high mark of 98. He will be significantly higher next time up but Jim Goldie’s gelding had something to spare as he ran down Jm Jungle inside the final furlong before crossing the line a length to the good.
Look out for him again in all the top sprint handicaps, and perhaps something better still – he’s been given a snap quote of 33-1 (from 100-1) by Betfair for the Group One King Charles III Stakes over five furlongs on the opening day of Royal Ascot next month.
2.10 YORK RESULT: American Affair trumps sprint rivals
1. AMERICAN AFFAIR 7-2 FAV, 2. Jm Jungle 11-2, 3. Toca Madera 18-1, 4. Shagraan 8-1.
Off and running in the 2.10 at York …
They are going into the stalls for the opening sprint handicap, American Affair heads the market and Mondammej is a late scratch.
DANTE CONTENDER: The Lion In Winter
While the field goes to post for the opening five-furlong handicap, here’s a quick look at The Lion In Winter’s form to date.
The key piece of form, of course, is his win in the Acomb Stakes here last August, with today’s rival – and current joint second-favourite – Wimbledon Hawkeye in second and this year’s 2,000 Guineas winner, Ruling Court – the ante-post second-favourite for the Derby – back in third.
The Lion In Winter was a comfortable winner on the day, but that was a long and potentially pivotal nine months ago in terms of his growth and development. He has also been a little slow to come to hand this spring according to Aidan O’Brien, his trainer, so it is not hard to see why he has been a little shaky in the Dante betting earlier today.
His only other start, meanwhile, was in a maiden at the Curragh last July.
3.13 YORK, MIDDLETON STAKES, FILLIES, GROUP TWO, 1M 2F 56YD
There’s been plenty of money today for See The Fire and Andrew Balding’s filly could well go off at odds-on to improve on her fifth-place finish in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown in April. Fifth in a Group Three does not necessarily scream “Group Two winner next time”, but she was travelling like the winner two out, the hit the front and traded at 1-5 in running before lack of a run started to tell and she lost three places late on.
She ran a fine race in Group One company last year too, finishing a three-length third behind the classy Tamfana and Inspiral in the Sun Chariot Stakes, and has course form too in the Strensall Stakes at the big August meeting last summer.
Doha, from the Ralph Beckett yard, is currently the only runner apart from See The Fire at single-figure odds, and she was a wee bit closer to Tamfana in the Atalanta Stakes at Sandown last summer than See The Fire was at Newmarket.
Nakheel, a Group Two winner already in the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster last September, also rates a mention, though she may not appreciate the drop back in trip here.
Beautiful Love, meanwhile, was a five-length third in the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket 11 days ago, while Karmology, from the in-form Karl Burke stable, made a promising return to action when second in the Nottinghamshire Oaks at Nottingham in April. I think they may all be chasing second place, though, if SEE THE FIRE is anywhere close to her best.
2.42 YORK, HAMBLETON HANDICAP, 7F 192YD
Another very trappy handicap to tee up the card’s pair of Group Two events, with 14 runners going to post and a draw in stall 15 posing an obvious problem for Ryan Moore on Sisyphean, the second-favourite, who generally likes to be right up with the pace. Kevin Ryan’s four-year-old was a winner over track and trip last summer, but is up against several opponents that also go well at this track including the likely favourite, BLUE FOR YOU. David O’Meara’s gelding is now seven years old but made a promising return to action at Haydock in April and his usual visor – which was missing last time – is back on today. He is just 2lb higher than for his last course success in July 2024 and is certain to get the strong pace he needs to give him a tow into the race.
2.10 YORK, HANDICAP, 5F
The card gets underway here with a typically competitive sprint handicap for the track, with an 18-strong field headed – in the betting, at least – by American Affair, successful at Musselburgh on his return but perhaps more familiar to punters as the narrow winner of last season’s Portland Handicap at Doncaster. Today’s second-favourite, Jm Jungle, was third, beaten a nose and a head, and has a 5lb swing in the weights now, with several more of today’s runners – including Shagraan, Trilby and Vantheman further behind. Rumstar, who took a Group Three at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting, was fourth across the line so it is clearly strong form and I fancy that John & Sean Quinn’s JM JUNGLE, who loves it here, could be the one to back this afternoon.
Preamble
A very good afternoon from the Knavesmire in York, where Aidan O’Brien will complete a veritable rampage through this year’s Epsom Classic trials if The Lion In Winter, who took over as the favourite for next month’s Derby after winning the Acomb Stakes here nine months ago, can live up to his advance billing in this afternoon’s Dante Stakes.
Other candidates for Epsom glory have put down their markers over the last couple of weeks, including Ruling Court, the 2,000 Guineas winner, and a seemingly endless succession of classically-bred trial winner from the O’Brien stable.
Yet they may have been simply marking time ahead of the reappearance of The Lion In Winter, as the warm favourite for today’s feature race had Ruling Court back in third when he won here last August, and has been seen as O’Brien’s No.1 candidate for the Derby ever since.
Push will very much come to shove at 3.45 today, when 11 runners are due to set off for the Group Two Dante Stakes, the feature race of the three-day meeting here at York. The Lion In Winter has been a little uneasy in the market this morning, drifting out from around evens to 11-8, and there are several live contenders to knock him off his perch, the most obvious of which are Wimbledon Hawkeye, Pride Of Arras and Alpine Trail, with an honourable mention for Damysus.
Any one of those names could conceivably be at single-figure odds for the Derby by 4pm, while The Lion In Winter could be odds-on, 33-1 or anything in between depending on how he goes this afternoon.
The Dante is the obvious feature of the card, but the supporting races have plenty to recommend them too and the field for the Middleton Stakes – also a Group Two – is headed by Andrew Balding’s See The Fire, fifth of 11 runners in last year’s Champion Stakes and the type to make up into a serious Group One contender this year. The going on the Knavesmire remains good to firm, good in places, and the action is underway at 2.10 with a big field going to post for a five-furlong handicap.
