High Definition heads 11 seeking Dante honours

O’Brien runner’s Derby hopes on the line at York.

High Definition is one of 11 colts declared for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York on Thursday.

Unbeaten in two starts as a juvenile, Aidan O’Brien’s charge spent the winter months as clear favourite for the Cazoo Derby at Epsom.

The Galileo colt missed his intended comeback run in last Saturday’s Lingfield Derby Trial following an unsatisfactory blood test result, but is set to appear on the Knavesmire five days later.

O’Brien has a second string to his bow in outsider Roman Empire, while Irish hopes are also carried by Jim Bolger’s Flying Visit.

The latter was last seen finishing second in the Ballysax Stakes to O’Brien’s Bolshoi Ballet, who is now the hot favourite for the Derby after his latest triumph in last weekend’s Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown.

The home team is headed by the Mark Johnston-trained Gear Up, who won the Acomb Stakes at York last summer and rounded off his two-year-old campaign with Group One success in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

John Gosden, who now trains in partnership with son Thady, saddled the last horse to complete the Dante-Derby double in Golden Horn.

Six years on, the Clarehaven team is represented by Uncle Bryn, who lost his unbeaten record when third in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom on his seasonal debut, as well as Megallan.

Yorkshire-born trainer William Haggas runs Sandown Classic Trial winner

Alenquer (right) winning at Sandown
Alenquer (right) winning at Sandown (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Hurricane Lane (Charlie Appleby), Belloccio (David Menuisier), Pythagoras (Richard Fahey) and Royal Champion (Roger Varian) complete the line-up.

An hour earlier Group Two honours are up for grabs in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes, for which six runners are set to go to post.

O’Brien’s Passion is joined in the trip across the Irish Sea by the Jessica Harrington-trained Silence Please, with Sir Michael Stoute’s Queen Power the leading British-trained contender after finishing second in the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket.

Cabeletta (Varian), Chamade (Ralph Beckett) and Freyja (Johnston) are the other hopefuls.

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