High Noon
Renewals of the G2 Betfred Dante S. rarely come as potentially informative as this one, with all the leading protagonists for Epsom bar Zawraq (Ire) (Shamardal) lining up for the leading blue riband trial on York’s Knavesmire circuit. Despite their prominent place in the winter ante-post lists for the Derby, both Ballydoyle colts John F Kennedy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ol’ Man River (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) were last and soundly beaten on their respective sophomore bows in the G3 Ballysax S. at Leopardstown Apr. 12 and G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket May 2, respectively. Ryan Moore is on the former, who at least has faster ground to help redeem a reputation now tarnished after he had become the talk of Tipperary when winning the G3 Juvenile Turf S. also at Leopardstown in September. Ol’ Man River had a slick surface in the Guineas, but never looked comfortable at any stage and it would be remarkable if the G2 Beresford S. winner could turn around his fortunes in just 12 days.
Unusually, it is a colt without any pattern-race form who heads the betting in the ultra-impressive 10-furlong Sandown handicap winner Jack Hobbs (GB) (Halling), and despite the obvious merit of that 12-length rout Apr. 24, his presence has not deterred connections of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club-bound fellow John Gosden trainee Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in taking part. The latter sports the famed Oppenheimer silks and was widely heralded as one of the season’s more exciting prospects when taking Newmarket’s Listed Feilden S. over nine furlongs Apr. 15.
“You’ve got to come here and test the waters on lovely ground in these important trials,” Gosden said. “It’s a true track and a proper track with a long straight and no excuses or hiding places. One is in the English and one in the French Derby, so it makes sense to run them together. They are still relatively inexperienced horses in that developmental phase, so this will tell us a lot more.”
Qatar Racing’s Elm Park (GB) (Phoenix Reach {Ire}) offers a solid line of form to the mix after besting the re-opposing Nafaqa (Ire) (Sir Percy {GB}) in the G2 Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket in September and following up in Doncaster’s G1 Racing Post Trophy the next month. Andrew Balding dodged a fast-ground Guineas and has been rewarded with some serious rainfall in the interim as his stable star bids to emulate Authorized (Ire) and Motivator (GB) in completing the Racing Post Trophy-Dante double.
“It has been a bit tricky, as he was at his peak ready to run in the Guineas, but the main thing is the horse has to run in a trial and get his season going,” his trainer said. “Whatever he does at York, I think he will come on for the run. If he performs up to our expectations at York, I think he can have a big impact on the Investec Derby. There does not appear to have been anything overwhelming from the trials so far. There is very often a horse you notice that was staying on in the Guineas, but there doesn’t seem to be anything from that race this year. It seems everyone is turning up at York.”