Racing:Cape Blanco warmed up for the Investec Derby with victory in the all-important totesport Dante Stakes at York — but it was stablemate St Nicholas Abbey who was all the rage for the Epsom Classic in the immediate aftermath.
With nine winners since 1958 completing the Dante-Derby double, bookmakers reacted to the Aidan O’Brien-trained Cape Blanco’s taking success by initially installing him as the second-favourite for the June 5th contest, before speculation of his well-being surfaced.
Ladbrokes went 5-1 from 12s and Coral 4-1 from 14, with St Nicholas Abbey shortening to 5-2 and 2-1 respectively at the head of the market.
St Nicholas Abbey, the dazzling Racing Post Trophy winner, may have failed to fire in the 2000 Guineas, but even stable jockey Johnny Murtagh was staying loyal after steering Cape Blanco to victory.
Cape Blanco was unbeaten in three starts as a juvenile and the 9-2 chance emerged as the convincing trial winner purists have craved as he pulled three and a quarter lengths clear of Workforce to provide O’Brien with his fourth Dante win — and his first in Britain this year after 15 consecutive losers.
However, Cape Blanco, who is just 7-2 with totesport, was the subject of negative rumours after the race and drifted out to 8-1 on Betfair.
But he was reported to be “fine” by O’Brien’s travelling head lad, Pat Keating, with connections suggesting he had aggravated a heel injury picked up on Sunday.
When asked about the horse being stiff, Coolmore’s Kevin Buckley said: “Apparently walking away after the race he was but he has walked back to the stables okay and I hear he is fine.
“Presumably he has knocked the nick from the weekend, if at all, but he has walked back fine.”
Murtagh was delighted with the win and declared “crisis over” but St Nicholas Abbey remained at the front of his mind.
“He (Cape Blanco) has got what it takes, but if the St Nicholas Abbey who ran at Doncaster turns up at Epsom then the rest are playing for places,” said Murtagh.
“Cape Blanco is unbeaten in four starts and is a very good horse. He is up there in the top four three-year-olds at Ballydoyle.
“You all know what I think about St Nicholas Abbey, but this guy has been there and done it in a very good trial and he is genuine and tough.
“I can’t be 100 per cent sure but I do think he will stay. The Dante is a good trial for the Derby and let’s hope that can continue.
“While I am not sure about a mile and a half he will handle anything that Epsom will present.”
Sariska put down the first major marker for the season among the older horses with an all-the-way success in the totesport.com Middleton Stakes.
Admittedly, Sariska (10-11 favourite) was favoured by the conditions of this Group Two 10-furlong heat, as Henry Cecil’s Midday, just behind Michael Bell’s charge at Epsom, had to carry 5lb extra after her victorious trip to the Breeders’ Cup.
With the ground good to firm and quickening up all the time, Sariska recorded a time barely half a second outside Sea The Stars’ course record, although it was a late decision to even let her take part.
Jamie Spencer was keen to use Sariska’s proven stamina and kicked on a good half-mile out, putting Midday and Eddie Ahern in trouble before the latter eventually got going and passed Godolphin’s Flying Cloud for second, a length and three-quarters behind the impressive winner.
Ahern was given a two-day ban (May 27th and 28th) for using his whip with excessive frequency and without giving Midday time to respond.
Richard Hills has few peers when allowed to dictate from the front and reunited with last year’s Britannia Handicap winner Fareer in the totesport 0800 221 221 Hambleton (Listed) Handicap he once again rode his rivals to sleep.
Ed Dunlop’s four-year-old has only been seen once since his glory day at Royal Ascot but he was not totally disgraced when less than 10 lengths behind this weekend’s Lockinge favourite Paco Boy.
It was a bit of a giveaway that he holds entries in the Queen Anne Stakes, Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and the Coral-Eclipse yet despite a morning gamble he still went off at 11-2.
Rainbow Peak made a late bid but the line was always going to come too soon for Michael Jarvis’s previously unbeaten gelding and he went down by a head with a step back up to 10 furlongs and a possible tilt at the Brigadier Gerard Stakes mooted for the runner-up.