Dante Stakes report, replay and reaction from York

The principal Classic trial at York looked all about returning Acomb hero The Lion In Winter beforehand but the well-backed 8/11 favourite finished out of the places in sixth after racing freely early and failing to pick up when asked for an effort in the straight.

Victory went to the relatively easy-to-back 18/1 chance Pride Of Arras for Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan, the Sandown maiden winner taking the step up to Group 2 level in his stride, cruising to the front a furlong and a half out and skipping clear of the pack.

The inexperienced son of New Bay stayed on strongly to beat the John and Thady Gosden-trained Damysus (16/1) by a length and a quarter, the latter having charted a wider course throughout the 10-furlong contest in the hands of Kieran Shoemark.

Wimbledon Hawkeye (7/1) stuck to his task well in third, just ahead of Devil's Advocate (80/1) who had been on the sharp end throughout.

The winning jockey said on ITV Racing: "It went lovely, it's only his second run and we were all in the camp of getting him dropped in the middle of them and getting him to learn, and figuring it out from there, but by God he took me into the race really good.

"When I pulled him out he just dropped on (the bridle) and went. You'd be getting a bit excited about him alright, for sure.

"He's seen it (the distance) out well, he's bred to get a mile and a half. I actually won on his brother and his sister around Epsom over a mile and a half. We can dream a small bit with this lad, he's got a bright future and a great mentality."

Pride Of Arras was slashed from 50/1 to 4/1 for the Derby by Sky Bet, Paddy Power and Betfair, with Delacroix the new 9/4 market leader as The Lion In Winter was pushed out to 5s.

Beckett said on Racing TV: "He hasn't had an easy prep, it hasn't been very easy with him. He had a complicated time of it as well last autumn.

"We had a few just needing it as well, so we're very pleased.

"I was hoping he was going to run well. Whether that meant he would finish fifth, third or even first was kind of irrelevant. We just needed him to run well and he's done more than that.

"He's not (laidback) but he was today. He will take a big step forward from today, we can be sure of that. He (New Bay) has been a very lucky stallion for us."

How the Derby betting looks

*All prices Sky Bet

Delacroix (9/4)

Was propelled to the head of the Derby betting following the defeat of stablemate The Lion In Winter in the Dante Stakes. Delacroix was denied by only a nose in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on his final start at two and has been a comfortable winner on both starts this season, landing the Ballysax Stakes and Derby Trial Stakes, both over a mile and a quarter at Leopardstown. Is bidding to emulate Galileo and High Chaparral who won both races before triumphing in the Derby, though High Chaparral in 2002 is the last Derby Trial winner to have followed up at Epsom.

Ruling Court (3/1)

Hugely expensive purchase from the breeze-up sales - cost €2.3 million - who still looked green when third behind The Lion In Winter in the Acomb Stakes on his second and final start as a juvenile but proved a more mature performer when winning the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. That's the best form on offer but stamina is the obvious question mark as he steps up half a mile in trip. Bidding to become the first horse since Camelot in 2012 to win the 2000 Guineas and the Derby.

Pride of Arras (4/1)

Impressive winner on his only start as a juvenile in a Sandown maiden that his trainer had won with subsequent Derby third Westover. Was a big price stepping up markedly in grade in the Dante Stakes on his return to action, but picked up strongly to win by a length and a quarter and establish himself as a big player for the Derby. Will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of North Light, Motivator, Authorized, Golden Horn and Desert Crown who have all won the Dante and Derby this century.

The Lion In Winter (5/1)

Created a big impression on both starts as a juvenile, notably when beating Wimbledon Hawkeye and Ruling Court in a very strong edition of the Acomb Stakes at York, and was the winter ante-post favourite for the Derby. Was all the rage on his return in the Dante Stakes after trainer Aidan O'Brien had carried all before him in the other Classic trials, but proved disappointing in sixth behind Pride of Arras.

Twain (10/1)

Remarkably won the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud only eight days after he'd sprang a 28/1 surprise on debut at Leopardstown. Beat subsequent Dee Stakes winner Mount Kilimanjaro at Saint-Cloud but has yet to make his reappearance this season after an unsatisfactory scope ruled him out of the 2000 Guineas. The Irish 2000 Guineas, which comes two weeks before the Derby, was reported to be on his agenda.

12/1 bar

Analysis by Tony McFadden

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