Black-Type Analysis: The Lion In Winter Makes His Return In The Dante

Thursday, York, post time: 15:45, AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI DANTE STAKES-G2, £192,200, 3yo, 10f 56yT

Field: Alpine Trail (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Damysus (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Devil's Advocate (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Mister Rizz (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Nightwalker (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Pride Of Arras (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Sea Scout (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Tuscan Hills (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko).

TDN Verdict: After a few days of wiping the floor with the British and fellow Irish Derby and Oaks prospects, Aidan O'Brien brings out his biggest gun in The Lion In Winter and if he is anything like the force he looked here last August it could be that by the end of the afternoon the Blue Riband market is blown apart. The Acomb Stakes that he dominated at the Ebor Festival may have only been a Group 3, but with Wimbledon Hawkeye and Ruling Court trailing in his wake it has taken on an extra dimension. Charlie Appleby revealed after the Listed Newmarket Stakes that he is finding it hard to gauge what Alpine Trail has in his tank, so this will tell all while there is a big chance that the Listed Blue Riband Trial winner Sea Scout has been underestimated. The impressive Listed Silver Tankard Stakes scorer Tuscan Hills and Sandown maiden winner Pride Of Arras help to make up what is by far the most meaningful Derby trial staged so far. [Tom Frary].

Thursday, York, post time: 15:13, AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI MIDDLETON FILLIES' STAKES-G2, £160,500, 4yo/up, f/m, 10f 56yT

Field: Ambiente Amigo (GB) (Postponed {Ire}), Beautiful Love (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), Doha (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Karmology (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), Nakheel (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Royal Dress (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), See The Fire (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Sioux Life (Ity) (Sioux Nation).

TDN Verdict: Last year's G2 Park Hill Stakes winner Nakheel drops markedly in trip for her return, but that hasn't stopped the likes of Free Wind in recent history and this seems a race for strong stayers in general. Last year's G3 Strensall Stakes winner and G1 Nassau Stakes and G1 Sun Chariot Stakes-placed See The Fire keeps threatening to do something significant and you get the feeling it has to be now. [Tom Frary].

Thursday, York, post time: 16:18, BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF WESTOW STAKES-Listed, £70,000, 3yo, 5fT

Field: Aesterius (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Captain Kinsella (GB) (Rajasinghe {Ire}), King Of Light (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}), Mr Lightside (Ire) (Earthlight {Ire}), Sir Yoshi (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Treasure Isle (Ire) (No Nay Never), Tropical Storm (GB) (Eqtidaar {Ire}), Star Of Mehmas (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Miss Lamai (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Wathnan's G2 Flying Childers Stakes and G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Aesterius returns under a five-pound penalty, which will make life tough taking on the race-fit Listed Chelmer Fillies' Stakes third Star Of Mehmas. If he can defy that extra burden, he will be a sprinter to follow this year. [Tom Frary].

Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 19:33, PRIX DE PONTARME-Listed, €55,000, 3yo, 7fT

Field: Libyan Pharoah (Fr) (American Pharoah), Afogado (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Scandalo (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), Diego Ventura (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Epson Blue Cen (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Another Wathnan representative Diego Ventura takes aim at this, having been third to the upwardly-mobile Cosmic Year in Newmarket's Listed King Charles II Stakes earlier this month. Afogado could still be on the upgrade, having been second in the course-and-distance Listed Prix du Pont Neuf last month. [Tom Frary].

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