Golden Horn ran out a thoroughly impressive winner of the Betfred Dante at York.

William Buick’s mount was the perceived second string of John Gosden’s two runners, going off at odds of 4-1 as opposed to 2-1 favourite and stablemate Jack Hobbs with both colts unbeaten heading into the key Derby trial.

However, Golden Horn showed an excellent switch of gears to collar leader Elm Park, surging past Jack Hobbs in the process, with the trio pulling well clear of the rest.

The Anthony Oppenheimer-owned winner does not currently hold an engagement in the Investec Derby.

Outsider Lord Ben Stack set the early gallop, with Elm Park racing keenly on his heels, but when push came to shove, Andrea Atzeni began to assert on the latter, winner of the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October.

Jack Hobbs was primed to strike on his outside, while Golden Horn was tucked in on his heels, as Buick timed his run to perfection, scoring by two and three-quarter lengths.

Buick said: “That was a very good performance from a very good horse. He keeps progressing.

“He switched off well. It was a very good race, an even pace and he’s a very exciting horse.

“To ride a horse like this is what it’s all about, he’s got so many gears — it’s just point and shoot.

“He’s come forward from Newmarket (Feilden Stakes) and that was only his third run, so you could see a lot of improvement.”

Gosden said: “It’s very much up to Mr Oppenheimer (whether Golden Horn goes to Epsom). He’s been very firm with me that he’s a mile-and-a-quarter horse and he told me that all along, so we will see.

“The jockey felt he finished strongly today. He’s a horse who has really come on since he won the Feilden Stakes. When he won the Feilden, we said we’d come to the Dante and that’s what we’ve done.

“His work on Friday was superb. Coming up on the train today, I knew they could well be first and second but I half felt this guy is the professional at the moment.

“The other horse ran great, but was stacked three wide the whole way and I told William to tuck in at the back and go to sleep as he has a good turn of foot. He had a dream trip, but Jack was rather wide all the way and then babyish and wondering what to do.

“Frankie (Dettori) said he was waiting for him to tell him, so I’m delighted with his run and I think the third horse (Elm Park) gives you a very solid benchmark of form. He’s a Group One horse and the fourth was a long way back.

“Jack Hobbs could go to Epsom or the King Edward VII (at Royal Ascot). He’s still a very tall, lanky, rangy, talented horse. He won his handicap off 85 doing handstands, so I would just like to think about it.

“He doesn’t have to answer those questions now, and I’m sure Mr Oppenheimer will have a think about whether he wants to stump up the 75 grand or not (to supplement). That’s his business, not mine.

“Golden Horn is a well-balanced horse and he’s neat, whereas Jack Hobbs is a big, rangy boy — they are different types. I can see the logic in supplementing him, but it’s not my money.”

Dettori added: “I had a tear in my eye when Golden Horn went past me!

“This was his third run, he’s still a big baby, we expect him to improve and I think a mile and a half will fit really well for him.

“(He hung) a little bit left, but it’s the first time he’s been off the bridle properly. He was waiting for my message to him, waiting to see what was going on and I think he will improve a bit. He’s run a great race.

“Yes (I think he will handle Epsom). He travels good — he’s not slow.”

Epsom remains very much on the agenda for Elm Park, with trainer Andrew Balding thinking the lack of a prep run had told.

He said: “Epsom is still very much the plan. He just got a bit tired. Andrea siad he thought he had it won but in the last furlong he just tired on him.”

Aidan O’Brien fielded both Ol’ Man River and John F Kennedy but the pair were outpaced when the race began in earnest, finishing second to last and last of the seven runners respectively.

John F Kennedy had previously suffered a surprise defeat on his reappearance, while Ol’ Man River had been last in the 2000 Guineas, where he was eased when his chance had gone.

O’Brien said: “We’re disappointed. There’s obviously something amiss with both of them at the moment.

“Ryan (Moore) said JFK travelled very well and then just cut out. He did that at Leopardstown and we put it down to the ground, but there’s obviously something else.

“We cant find anything wrong with them at home. All the tests had been ticked off, so there’ll be no Epsom for them. We will stop with them now and give them a break.

“As for what we will run in the Derby, we will see what happens in the next two weeks. Those three pulled a long way clear there and I would imagine that their trainers were very happy.”

O’Brien completed ruled out any notion of 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles stepping up in trip for the Derby, comparing him favourably with Giant’s Causeway who notched up a string of five Group One wins back in 2000.

He said: “There’s no way Gleneagles will be going to Epsom. We haven’t had a horse like him for a long time. He’s an out-and-out miler but with more speed than Giant’s Causeway.”