Workforce to turn up heat in Dante
Wanted: Three-year-old colt, preferably from well-bred background but must be able to stay 12 furlongs. Excellent rewards and rapid promotion on offer for right candidate.
It might sound a little fanciful, but ever since St Nicholas Abbey failed to ignite in the 2000 Guineas there has been one major vacancy to fill in British racing; Derby favourite. None of those who have applied thus far have secured the position but a good performance from the winner of the Group Two totesport.com Dante Stakes at York would probably be the clincher.
First run in 1958, the Dante has become the most consistent Derby trial with nine winners also winning the Investec Derby. Of the last six winners, three - North Light (2004), Motivator (2005) and Authorized (2007) – have completed the double.
There are only six runners for this year’s renewal but three of those figure in the top 10 of the Derby market so a decisive winner – assuming that there is enough early pace for this to be a Derby trial rather than a two-furlong sprint – will surely be the new favourite.
It is five years since Godolphin even managed a placed runner in the Derby, when Dubawi was third to Motivator in 2005, but their hopes for this year look more prosperous after the victory of Chabal in the Classic Trial at Sandown three weeks ago. He beat Azmeel by two-and-a-quarter lengths and that form was franked when the second won the Dee Stakes at Chester last week but this is the acid test.
Aidan O’Brien has won the Dante twice in the last four years and sends Cape Blanco over this time. Aside from any issues over stable form, Cape Blanco looked anything but an odds-on shot when he won a Group Two on his final start at Fairyhouse last August. Admittedly it was soft ground but the horse still made heavy weather of the job, while the form of Coordinated Cut’s win at Newmarket’s Craven meeting has taken a bit of knock.
It is hard to knock the form of Workforce, mainly because there is not that much to work with. The King’s Best colt won a seven-furlong maiden at Goodwood in September by six lengths, having lost that much ground at the start. The runner-up, Oasis Dancer, went on to win a valuable sales race at Newmarket the following month beating 13 previous winners in the process.
Doubtless there has been plenty of hype surrounding Workforce but he has apparently grown into his frame over the winter and the lack of big-race experience should not necessarily be a problem as Sir Michael Stoute has won this race in recent years with North Light and Tartan Bearer, both of whom had only raced at maiden level.
There was only a head separating Sariska (pictured left) and Midday when they fought out the finish of last year’s Oaks and they meet for a third time in the Group Two totesport.com Middleton Stakes. The two fillies met again in the Irish Oaks, where Sariska was seven-and-a-half lengths in front.
She should confirm the form with Midday as those two Group One victories fall outside the time limit for penalties in this race while Midday must concede 5lbs for her victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita last November.
Michael Jarvis has a 40% strike-rate for this month and Russian Spirit can add to that in the totepool Flexi Betting Handicap. She is racing from 1lb outside of the handicap but the drop to five furlongs looks ideal. The trainer can make it a double on the card with Rainbow Peak in the totesport Hambleton Handicap, who was unbeaten in three starts last year and has an entry for the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.
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