Betfred Dante Stakes
Group 2, York £150,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 2f 88y, Class 1
Thursday 15th May 2014

1 The Grey Gatsby 9/1
2 Arod 8/1
3 True Story 8/13F
6 ran Distances: ¾l, ¾l, 1½l
TIME 2m 8.99s (slow by 1.49s)

The Grey Gatsby burst a few Derby bubbles by winning the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York for trainer Kevin Ryan.

 

The Grey Gatsby
© Racehorse Photos

Seen as the key Derby trial run in England, Godolphin's True Story, the second favourite for the Epsom Classic, was sent off at odds-on and was supposed to rubber-stamp his blue riband credentials. However, Kieren Fallon was one of the first jockeys to get down to business on entering the straight as Odeon set the pace, followed by Frankie Dettori on Bunker.

True Story drew level, but on the far side Kevin Ryan's The Grey Gatsby quickened up to take the lead under Ryan Moore. He then drifted across the track and slightly hampered True Story, but the favourite looked beaten at the time. Jamie Spencer made up plenty of ground late aboard Arod but he was still three-quarters of a length behind the 9-1 scorer.

Moore said: "It rode a good gallop. I travelled lovely in third, but I was in front too early. When he got to the front he hung right. That (mile and a quarter) is as far as he wants to go."

Ryan said: "I'm delighted for this horse and for Frank (Gillespie, owner), a fantastic owner who buys some nice horses.

"He (The Grey Gatsby) has always drifted a bit under pressure, I don't know why.

"Ryan had him switched off so he was always going to get the trip. He's got a lot of speed and he ran well in the Guineas, he's got the trip and he's got it well. He's in the French Derby and that is probably where we are heading."

Chapple-Hyam said of Arod: "I'm delighted with him. He's run a very good race. I don't know if I had him too fresh or hadn't done enough with him before Windsor, but he was obviously keen and the key today was to get him switched off.

Arod

"He keeps improving and if there had been another half-furlong he might have won, but it was a mile and a quarter, not a mile and a quarter and half a furlong, so hats off to the winner, he was very tough.

"Faster ground will suit him as will the step up to a mile and a half. Whether he's good enough to win the Derby, we'll find out on the day.

"Dr Devious had won the Dewhurst and Authorized had won the Racing Post Trophy, so it was a bit easier with them. This horse still has to go and prove himself, in some ways, and he's been a bit slower to mature than the other two (Derby winners), but he'll get there.

True Story
© Racehorse Photos

"I'm not saying he'll win the Derby. Let's not get too excited. He's finished second at the end of the day. We had the option of coming here or running at Newmarket at the weekend, but I always wanted to come here as I feel this is the best trial."

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor will press ahead with the Derby for True Story.

He said: "Kieren said the ground was not perfect for him and that he would be better on good to fast ground. He also said he will be better over a mile and a half, which he will get at Epsom. Hopefully that is where he will go now."

Betfred Dante Stakes (Group 2)
£150,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 2f 88y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Soft (Good in places)

	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	SP Distance
1	The Grey Gatsby K A Ryan	R L Moore 9st 0lbs	9 - 1 Winner
2	Arod P W Chapple-Hyam	J P Spencer 9st 0lbs	8 - 1 3/4 length
3	True Story S bin Suroor	K Fallon 9st 0lbs	8 - 13 3/4 length
4	Odeon J G Given	G Lee 9st 0lbs	20 - 1 1 1/2 length
5	Bunker R Hannon	L Dettori 9st 0lbs	9 - 2 3/4 length
6	Saab Almanal J R Fanshawe	S W Kelly 9st 0lbs	50 - 1 3/4 length