There are seasons when the Derby betting revolves around one horse, and others when we wake up on the first Saturday in June with no clear idea of what the favourite will be, never mind which horse will come home in front. The 2023 running of the world’s most famous Classic could still be the former rather than the latter, but time is running out.
As things stand ahead of the Dante Stakes at York on Thursday, the final leg in the traditional cycle of Classic trials, there are just three names at single-figure odds in the ante-post Derby betting and none can offer what could be described as cast-iron credentials.
The narrow favourite, almost by default, is Charlie Appleby’s Military Order, who is a full brother to Adayar, Appleby’s Derby winner in 2021, but ended up running his Epsom trial on the all-weather after Lingfield’s track was waterlogged. Next in the list is Auguste Rodin, a deeply disappointing 12th of 14 in the 2,000 Guineas but apparently still Aidan O’Brien’s leading candidate, while none other than Frankie Dettori expressed doubts about whether Arrest would handle Epsom on quicker ground after their win on soft going in the Chester Vase.
Jessica Harrington’s Sprewell, a convincing winner of the Derby Trial at Leopardstown on heavy ground this month, has also staked a claim for consideration, but the Dante will provide the last chance for a horse – and, perhaps, its jockey – to seize control of the narrative in the run-up to Epsom.
Worcester 1.40 Who Is That 2.15 Wick Green 2.50 Ted’s Gift 3.25 Almazhar Garde 4.00 Trolley Boy 4.35 Extraordinary Man 5.05 Harry Gulliver 5.35 Hillsin
York 1.50 La Yakel (nb) 2.25 Lucky Man (nap) 3.00 The Astrologist 3.35 Gather Ye Rosebuds 4.10 Ramazan 4.45 Mashadi 5.15 Val Bassett
Newton Abbot 2.05 Inferno Sacree 2.35 Oakley Dancer 3.10 Doctor Foley 3.45 Begin The Luck 4.20 Danton 4.55 Crypto 5.30 Our Nel
Bath 5.10 Symbol Of Hope 5.40 Haatem 6.10 Wedgewood 6.40 Damascus Steel 7.10 Further Measure 7.40 Mc’Ted 8.10 Pink Lily 8.45 War Chant
Perth 6.00 Banjaxed 6.30 Fostered Phil 7.00 Ginger Pointe 7.30 Rae Des Champs 8.00 Cardboard Gangster 8.30 Steely Addition 9.00 Sanosuke
The identity of Dettori’s final Derby ride was always going to be the subject of intense speculation after his announcement over the winter that the 2023 Flat campaign would be his last. Arrest is the clubhouse leader after his Chester success, but John Gosden, who retains him as No 1, is a big fan of the Dante having landed it with his two Derby winners to date, Benny The Dip and Golden Horn.
Epictetus, successful over 10 furlongs of the Derby trip in Epsom’s Blue Riband Trial last month, is the Gosden stable’s only runner in a 12-strong Dante field, and could yet be Dettori’s Classic partner if he wins with sufficient conviction to suggest that stamina will not be an issue next month. His 11 opponents, though, include several lightly-raced types that could also march towards, or even take over at, the top of the market with an emphatic success.
Canberra Legend, unraced at two, is unbeaten in two starts this year and currently 16-1 for Epsom, alongside Flying Honours, three-from-five at two and Appleby’s only runner in the race. White Birch, the Ballysax Stakes winner in a strong time, is another fascinating contender for John Murphy’s small yard in County Cork.
In equine terms at least, this year’s Derby is still searching for its headline act. It may eventually turn out to be simply the horse with Dettori on its back. Or it could yet be a colt that, even now, is still on offer at double-figure odds – and the best action heroes always arrive just in the nick of time.
Gather Ye Rosebuds excellent bet to land Musidora
Jack Channon has made an impressive start to his training career after taking over the licence at the historic West Ilsley Stables from his father, Mick, and his filly Gather Ye Rosebuds is an intriguing contender for the Group Three Musidora Stakes, Britain’s last major trial for the Oaks, on the opening afternoon of York’s Dante meeting on Wednesday.
Gather Ye Rosebuds is one of three in the eight-strong field that would need a supplementary entry to run in the Classic, but showed more than enough to justify a run in a trial when pulling nearly 10 lengths clear of her field on debut in a maiden at Newbury last month.
The going that day was heavy, which probably exaggerated her superiority, but Gather Ye Rosebuds stayed on strongly to win in a very smart time under the conditions.
She arguably achieved as much, if not more, than Sir Michael Stoute’s Infinite Cosmos, the likely favourite on Wednesday and current second-favourite for the Oaks, did in a similar race at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting. Channon’s filly, though, is nearly three times the price.
Novakai, beaten a length in the Group One Fillies’ Mile in October, sets a fair standard, but Gather Ye Rosebuds (3.35) is just 6lb behind her already according to Timeform’s ratings and is an excellent bet at around 6-1 to progress from her debut form on Wednesday’s better ground.
York 1.50 William Haggas has won this with lightly-raced four-year-olds for the last two years and La Yakel has a near-identical profile.
Newton Abbot 2.05 Inferno Sacree has found his calling as a front-runner at sharp tracks and has fair prospects of a fifth win from six starts.
York 2.25 Track, trip, draw and conditions all look ideal for Lucky Man, whose form figures in York sprint handicaps last year were 2-2-1-5.
Worcester 1.40 Who Is That 2.15 Wick Green 2.50 Ted’s Gift 3.25 Almazhar Garde 4.00 Trolley Boy 4.35 Extraordinary Man 5.05 Harry Gulliver 5.35 Hillsin
York 1.50 La Yakel (nb) 2.25 Lucky Man (nap) 3.00 The Astrologist 3.35 Gather Ye Rosebuds 4.10 Ramazan 4.45 Mashadi 5.15 Val Bassett
Newton Abbot 2.05 Inferno Sacree 2.35 Oakley Dancer 3.10 Doctor Foley 3.45 Begin The Luck 4.20 Danton 4.55 Crypto 5.30 Our Nel
Bath 5.10 Symbol Of Hope 5.40 Haatem 6.10 Wedgewood 6.40 Damascus Steel 7.10 Further Measure 7.40 Mc’Ted 8.10 Pink Lily 8.45 War Chant
Perth 6.00 Banjaxed 6.30 Fostered Phil 7.00 Ginger Pointe 7.30 Rae Des Champs 8.00 Cardboard Gangster 8.30 Steely Addition 9.00 Sanosuke
York 3.00 The ever-popular Highfield Princess tends to need a pipe-opener so Australian-trained The Astrologist, placed in Group One company at home and in Dubai, could have her measure.
York 4.10 Ramazan had no luck in running on his final juvenile start in Ireland still posted a very useful effort and is the type to be better still at three having been gelded over the winter.
