Day one of the Dante Festival at York saw the Oaks Trial, the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes. This Group 3 was the feature on the card and we saw an impressive winner again from a Ballydoyle inmate by the name of Whirl. She won by over five lengths under Ryan Moore and is around 10/1 for Epsom Glory. O’Brien has two other filles at shorter odds in the Ante Post market. The Cheshire Oaks winner Minnie Hauk and the facile winner of the Lingfield Oaks trial Giselle both trade at lesser prices then the Musidora winner but behind the 1000 Guineas winner and favourite Desert Flower.
The other highlight, the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes went to Yorkshire trainer Kevin Ryan when Inisherin under Ryan Moore went up the far rail and found extra to see off Flora Of Bermuda by a neck. When last seen Inisherin was sent off 5/2 favourite in the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock but disappointed picking up an injury in the process. His performance was particularly impressive as Kevin Ryan said the winner was probably only 80% straight and will improve a bundle. Next Stop for this Sheikh Obaid owned colt will be QEII Jubilee Stakes on the Saturday of Royal Ascot.
Worth a mention is the winner of the 2YO Novice Stakes Ballistic Missile who came from last to first running very green and still managed to win. Keep an eye out for this Richard Hannon trained colt.
The middle day of the Dante Festival saw a remarkable performance from See The Fire in the Middleton Fillies Stakes who took the Group 2 event by twelve lengths. Well done to owner Jeff Smith, trainer Andrew Balding and jockey Oisin Murphy. You do not see high end races won by distances as extreme as this very often. The feature Dante Stakes itself was a brilliant result for local owner / breeder Mrs Aykroyd who saw her Pride Of Arras take the prize under Rossa Ryan for trainer Ralph Beckett. This colt won a Sandown maiden over a mile last August and was put away for the year. He now goes to the Epsom Derby and currently trades at a best price of 5/1. A few good judges were equally impressed by the runner up Damysus trained by John and Thady Gosden. Finally, the listed Westow Stakes saw a close finish with Tropical Storm prevailing by a head and a neck form the second and third. Another for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy.
The third and final day at the Dante Festival saw the Listed Marygate Fillies Stakes for 2YOs going to outsider Secret Hideaway. This daughter of Starspangledbanner came with a late flourish to “chin” the favourite Harrys Girl. This must be trainer Adrian Keatley’s biggest prize on the level in his career to date. The other Listed event for fillies went to Kon Tiki owned by Peter Harris and is now unbeaten in three starts, she goes to France for her next engagement according to trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam. David Egan did the steering here.
The Group 2 Yorkshire Cup saw a close finish considering only a five-runner field. The Godolphin owned Rebels Romance prevailed by a head from David O’Meara’s Epic Poet with Sweet William three quarters of a length back in third. The winner ran a little free early on and William Buick did a great job in getting this one first past the post.