On what would've been the feature day of York's Dante Festival fixture, our racing team remember their favourite Dante Stakes winners and we want yours, too.
Who are your favourite Dante winners? Share your thoughts with us via racingfeedback@sportinglife.com and they will appear at the foot of the article.
Ben Linfoot – 2007
There was a time when Frankie Dettori could not win the Derby.
In chronological order he’d finished 16th, eighth, 10th, second, third, ninth, ninth, ninth, third, seventh, eighth, seventh, third and ninth on his first 14 attempts and when you’ve won just about every other big horse race on the planet it becomes a thing.
It was a big deal for Dettori and back in 2007 Flat racing was crying out for a new star of the equine variety as well.
The two best juveniles from 2006, Teofilo and Holy Roman Emperor, had both retired to stud prematurely and so plenty of responsibility rested on the shoulders of one horse.
While Teofilo and Holy Roman Emperor had battled out a thrilling renewal of the Dewhurst, in which the first-named won by a head at 11-8, the only other Group One in Britain for juveniles was won by a son of Montjeu in heavy ground at 25-1.
That horse was Authorized, but while his starting price suggested a hint of fluke his performance did not, as he travelled supremely well before running out an easy winner in the year the Racing Post Trophy was held at Newbury.
Both Dettori and trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam were excited and with that Group One win under his belt, Authorized was sent off as odds-on favourite for the 2007 Dante Stakes at York, his seasonal reappearance.
It was a good Dante, too, featuring the Craven winner and Guineas favourite Adagio, as well as a couple of unbeaten runners in Proponent and Raincoat.
But Authorized was far too strong. He travelled all over them like a monster, just like he did in the Racing Post Trophy at Newbury, and he quickened clear to win in great style under Dettori, winning by four lengths and cementing his position as strong Derby favourite.
And despite all the battle scars Dettori bore from Derbys past, his day of destiny went like clockwork at Epsom just over two weeks’ later.
“Everything went so smoothly,” Frankie said in the aftermath of his first Derby win. “I expected a dogfight but it was like an oil painting, beautiful and smooth.”
Like plenty of Derby winners before him, this was one that honed his craft in the Dante Stakes at York – and the pair were back on the Knavesmire in the August of 2007 to land the Juddmonte International as well.
Mike Vince - 2010
For a generation the Dante has been the key trial for The Derby- and in recent years the likes of Motivator, Authorized and most recently in 2015 Golden Horn have gone from Knavesmire success to Epsom glory, while in 2014, and they never forget it in God’s Own County, The Grey Gatsby conquered the French after winning it.
But until 10 years ago the race carried a legendary stat - no horse that had been beaten in the Dante had gone on to win The Derby.
But all that was to change spectacularly in 2010.
Just five runners went to post but it looked on paper a three horse race. Godolphin’s Chabal, ridden by Frankie Dettori was sent off as favourite having won the Sandown Trial (though he was subsequently disqualified), the Ballydoyle runner Cape Blanco, making his seasonal debut having won three from three as a two year old, including a Group Three and a Group Two, and Workforce, trained by Sir Michael Stoute for Prince Khalid Abdulla, who had won his solitary race as a two-year-old, beating Oasis Dancer by six lengths in a seven-furlong maiden at Goodwood.
Workforce had been a ‘Talking Horse’ in so far as Matthew Tester, then the BHA Handicapper in charge of two year olds, had nominated him as his dark horse to follow at the end of the previous season.
It was the outsider Circumvent who made much of the running, with Johnny Murtagh on Cape Blanco poised in behind. Half way down the long York home straight Murtagh made his move and put the race to bed in a matter of strides.
In behind Ryan Moore tried to make a move on Workforce, who had gone to post with his ‘L’ Plates still on, and he hung left two furlongs out, his metal bit, it was reported afterwards, displaced, while Frankie on the favourite came home last.
Workforce went on to break the track record in a spectacular Derby romp, and then do a veni vidi vici on the French on a memorable Arc afternoon in Paris, while his Knavesmire conqueror Cape Blanco cleaned up in the Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and the Arlington Million.
It was a vintage Dante - and one that marked the burial of that much-treasured statistic!
Send us your views
Send in your favourite memories of Dante winners at York and other contributions to racingfeedback@sportinglife.com while if you’ve any ideas for more topics you want covering over the coming days and weeks, please let us know.
Feedback from readers
Andrew Pelis: The 1994 Dante is a renewal that sticks out in my mind. 1993 had been a fascinating year for juveniles and there was a huge field for the 2,000 Guineas, won by Mister Baileys.
In an intriguing twist, Mark Johnston ran his Guineas hero at York, something that has rarely happened.
This was a top-class renewal and the race went to the improving Erhaab, who beat Weigh Anchor and Mister Baileys, with King's Theatre, who had won the Craven and disappointed in the Guineas, back in fourth.
This was some trial, as Erhaab beat King's Theatre in the Derby, with Mister Baileys running fourth. The runner-up went on to land the King George later in the year.
Tony Harbour: In my opinion the best Derby trial. When i think of the race i hear the late and very sadly missed John McCririck telling us every year that no horse beaten in the Dante went on to win the Derby. Then Workforce came along to spoil the statistic!
One of my favourite winners was Environment Friend. He won the Dante in great fashion. Although failing to fire in The Derby he caused a wonderful upset in The Eclipse ridden by George Duffield.
Dave Youngman: THE Dante stakes has always been looked upon in racing as the finest Derby trial and many Derby winners have come out of the race over the years. I have very fond memories of two winners of the race sired by Mill Reef, SHIRLEY HEIGHTS and SIMPLY GREAT, the former won the Derby trained by John Dunlop ridden by Greville Starkey in 1978 and Simply Great may well have won the Derby in 1982 had injury not prevented him from running in the Epsom classic, Henry Cecil always told me Simply Great and Belmez were two horses he felt would have won the Derby for him had injury not stopped them taking part. Keep well everyone - God Bless.
Responsible gambling
We are committed in our support of responsible gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
Sky Bet's responsible gambling tools are detailed here and if you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, or visit begambleaware.org.
Further support and information can be found at GamCare and gamblingtherapy.org.