Dante Stakes betting

The Dante Stakes is widely regarded as the most important trial for the Derby at Epsom the following month.

Run over 1m2f 56yds on the second day of York’s, Dante Festival in May, this Group 2 prize has a rich history of producing brilliant Derby winners, with brilliant three-year-olds like Benny the Dip, North Light, Motivator, Authorized and, more recently, Golden Horn all going on to Epsom glory.

Not only do Dante winners often go on to Classic glory, they also go on to win some of the biggest open-age prizes in the Flat season, both domestically and on the international stage, as was the case in 2015 when Golden Horn ran away with the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe under Frankie Dettori.

The great Sir Henry Cecil trained no less than seven winners of the Dante Stakes between 1970 and 1993.

Dante Stakes betting tips

Smallish fields tend to be the norm for the Dante Stakes and that often leads to a steady gallop, so strong travellers who are able to quicken when the pace lifts are strong contenders. The landscape of the race changes slightly when the market leader comes from one of the bigger yards.

In this scenario, trainers often deploy a pacemaker to ensure an even gallop which in turn places slightly more emphasis on stamina, making the ability to stay well an important factor when assessing Dante Stakes betting.

The Dante Stakes is often the first time a horse tries a trip in excess of a mile so look for horses who finished off their races well and are likely to improve for the extra distance. The winner of this race will nearly always go on to run in the Derby, which is an even greater test of stamina.

It is generally a positive factor if a horse goes into the Dante on the back of a previous run that season. They tend to be sharper for the run and are able to produce their best form on the Knavesmire.

Dante Stakes betting trends

The Dante Stakes has been a tough race for favourite backers since the turn of the century, with the likes of Midterm (5-4) in 2016, True Story (8-13) in 2014, Seville (5-4) in 2011, Chabal (7-4) in 2010 and Crowded House (2-1) in 2009 all turned over.

Roaring Lion’s 2018 success was the first victory for the market leader since Authorized in 2007 so, with that in mind, it’s often best to look away from the top of the market when studying William Hill’s Dante Stakes betting.

The flat, fair nature of the Knavesmire means that previous experience of the track is not generally a requirement to win this race, although 2014 winner The Grey Gatsby had won his maiden at this venue the year before.

York’s Dante Stakes is often won by a three-year-old in a steep upward curve so the lack of previous Group-race success is no barrier to success.

Roaring Lion was beaten in the Racing Post Trophy on his final start at two and ran flat in the Craven Stakes but that didn’t stop him bursting into life on the Knavesmire.

Workforce became the first horse to get beat in the Dante Stakes and go on to win at Epsom in 2010 so the percentage call is to oppose beaten horses from the Dante Stakes when studying Epsom form.

Dante Stakes ante-post betting pointers

The best of the previous year’s juvenile division dominate ante-post lists for races like the Guineas and the Derby and the obvious starting point for anyone studying Dante Stakes betting is Group 1 winners from the previous year.

The 1m Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes (formerly the Racing Post Trophy) and the Dewhurst Stakes (7f) are the two most important autumn Group 1’s for two-year-olds and both races provide potential candidates for York’s Group 2 Derby trial.

The 2,000 Guineas aside, no race has a bigger impact on Derby betting more than the Dante Stakes, with impressive winners nearly always catapulted to favouritism for the Epsom contest.

Pedigree information and run style are crucial factors when assessing Dante Stakes betting and ante-post betting for later in the season, indeed it is a crucial factor when assessing whether horses are capable of going to Epsom glory.

If connections feel stamina for the Derby trip is a potential issue, then the major ten-furlong races immediately become the target, starting with the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

Dante Stakes betting history and memorable winners

There can’t be many more memorable winners of the Dante Stakes than Authorized, sent off a red-hot 10-11 favourite in Dante Stakes betting, who quickened clear of his rivals in devastating fashion to score by four lengths in 2007.

Peter Chapple-Hyam's brilliant colt went on to provide Frankie Dettori with his first Derby win the following month.

Sakhee provided trainer John Dunlop with a second success in the race in 2000 and although he was beaten by Sinndar at Epsom, went on to land the Juddmonte International and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe the following season.

John Gosden has been through a period of dominance in this prestigious contest but no horse of his has impressed more in victory at York than Roaring Lion, who readily dispatched his rivals by four-and-a-half lengths in 2018.

Roaring Lion failed to see out the 1m4f trip at Epsom but went on to confirm his star quality by winning four of the biggest races of the season, the Eclipse, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Moon Ballad, an emphatic winner of the race in 2002, went on to realise his potential in the desert the following year where he ran out a stunning winner of the Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba.

Dante Stakes betting 2021

Guineas favourite Too Darn Hot also heads William Hill’s ante-post Derby betting, but if John Gosden’s unbeaten star does head to Epsom, it’s likely to be straight from the first Classic of the season, not via York.

Aidan O’Brien hasn’t won the Dante Stakes since 2010 but his Beresford Stakes scorer Japan looks a colt sure to do well in the big middle-distance races this term and he would have to figure prominently in Dante Stakes betting.

Few horses have created such an impression as Dubai Warrior did when bolting up at Chelmsford on debut and it would be absolutely no surprise if he turned out to be a bit special.

The son of Dansili is trained by a man with a brilliant recent record in the Dante Stakes in Gosden, who won it three times between 2015 and 2018, so it would look very significant were Dubai Warrior to be aimed at the Group 2 event.

If he does, expect him to take extremely high rank in William Hill’s Dante Stakes betting and, in turn, Derby betting.

One of last year’s best two-year-olds, Quorto, has been ruled out of the 2,000 Guineas through injury but could be fit enough for a trip to York in order to assess his Derby credentials.

Godolphin’s National Stakes winner remains one of the potential stars of this season and victory in the Dante Stakes would catapult him to prominence in William Hill’s Investec Derby betting.