God’s Window, pictured winning on debut at Doncaster, runs in the famous Derby pointer, the Dante, at York on Thursday (16H45 SA Time) (Picture: Sky Racing)
Top-class horses always turn up in the Dante and this year’s running is no exception with Ancient Wisdom in the line-up. And who knows, perhaps another one or two will emerge from the pack.
Ancient Wisdom didn’t quite match the form of his stylish Autumn Stakes success at Newmarket when capturing the Group 1 Futurity Trophy on his final start at two, but a slower-run race at Doncaster failed to test his stamina in the same manner.
The Dubawi colt gave a good beating to outstanding Lingfield Derby Trial winner Ambiente Friendly in the Autumn and it will be interesting to see how he fares first time out over this longer trip on a faster surface. The extra distance needn’t concern punters given how well he stayed at two, although perhaps the ground is a small query.
Ancient Wisdom concedes race fitness to everyone in the Dante field bar Al Musmak, who was last seen chasing home Ghostwriter in the Royal Lodge.
The Dante is evidently an acid test for both colts, whose Royal Ascot entries consist of the St James’s Palace Stakes over a mile and the 1m4f King Edward VII. It is a surprise to see Al Musmak available at shorter initial odds than the race-fit Caviar Heights.
The outsiders are also an interesting bunch. Aidan O’Brien’s horses are going better than when Cambridge ran fourth in the Craven. He should improve for this extra yardage, while Economics landed a Newbury maiden the William Haggas stable captured with the top-class My Prospero two seasons ago.
Progression will be forthcoming after only two starts. Do not rule out a much stronger showing from God’s Window either. The John and Thady Gosden-trained runner has two lengths to find with Ancient Wisdom on their Futurity Trophy meeting, but that was only his second run (the winner was making his fifth start) and blowing the start put him on the backfoot before he mounted his challenge away from the action.
Tardiness from the stalls was again evident from God’s Window in the Dee Stakes a week ago, his last-of-four finish probably not an effort to take at face value. If that part of his game can be ironed out, he is no 20-1 shot for a stable with a proven Dante track record.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders
