Cracksman Misses Dante Engagement

CRACKSMAN AND SO MI DAR MISS YORK
John Gosden has withdrawn both Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and So Mi Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) from Thursday's G2 Betfred Dante S. and G2 Betfred Middleton S. respectively after judging the ground too testing for the high-profile pair. Both were likely to start as favourites for their engagements, with the former now set for a racecourse gallop before the June 3 G1 Epsom Derby. Cracksman's owner Anthony Oppenheimer said, “I was advised by Mr Gosden that the back end of the course was very heavy and that we really couldn't run in the interests of the horse. It's sad, as he'd been going really well beforehand. He won't run again [before the Derby] and could maybe do a gallop somewhere, possibly Epsom [during Tuesday's Breakfast with the Stars]. He did mention that, so that could be an option.”