Last Thursday afternoon saw the main course served up at the 2025 Dante Festival as 11 promising colts lined up for the Dante Stakes. Many Epsom Trials have come and gone over the preceding weeks, but this 1m2f contest is considered the most informative ahead of the 1m4f Classic.
With £192,200 up for grabs, the great and the good of the racing game can be counted upon to attend this Knavesmire showstopper. Such was the case in 2025. Aidan O’Brien, Charlie Appleby, John and Thady Gosden all sent runners to post. William Buick, Ryan Moore, and Oisin Murphy were amongst the premier riders on show in a race illuminated by the instantly recognisable silks of Michael Tabor, Juddmonte, Godolphin, Jeff Smith, and the increasingly influential Wathnan Racing.
However, in the end, Messrs O’Brien, Gosden, and Appleby failed to hit the target, as did Buick, Moore, and Murphy, whilst the collection of powerful owners must wait for another day to see their name up in lights. Billed as the next stepping stone towards Derby glory for the latest Aidan O’Brien superstar, the race instead fell to a once-raced performer stepping up from a Class 4 Maiden.
Laboured Effort from The Lion in Winter
Since April turned to May, the Cheshire Oaks, Chester Vase, Dee Stakes, Lingfield Oaks Trial, Lingfield Derby Trial, Naas Oaks Trial, Leopardstown Derby Trial, and Musidora Stakes have all been snared in the net of Aidan O’Brien. It’s fair to say the Ballydoyle maestro has dominated trials season!
“The further they went, the further they went clear of the third horse”
Puppet Master and Stay True put on a show in the Lingfield Derby Trial…
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 10, 2025
The winners of the aforementioned events may all head to Epsom with high hopes, but the Dante Stakes was the race selected as the springboard for his main Derby hope. Sired by Derby winner Sea The Stars, unbeaten in two outings as a juvenile, The Lion In Winter made his much-anticipated return to the track on Thursday afternoon.
Relatively easy to back earlier in the day, a late surge of money saw the mount of Ryan Moore start at odds of just 8/11, suggesting a big run was expected. A big run did not materialise. Racing in midfield throughout, The Lion In Winter was close enough to strike as the runners turned into the straight. However, the writing was on the wall at the two-furlong pole, with Ryan Moore receiving only minimal response from his urgings as the main action unfolded towards the far side.
Dante Stakes 2025 Full Result
| Position | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Pride Of Arras | Rossa Ryan | Ralph Beckett | 18/1 |
| 2nd | Damysus | Kieran Shoemark | John & Thady Gosden | 16/1 |
| 3rd | Wimbledon Hawkeye | Hector Crouch | James Owen | 7/1 |
| 4th | Devil’s Advocate | Benoit De La Sayette | John & Thady Gosden | 80/1 |
| 5th | Nightwalker | Robert Havlin | John & Thady Gosden | 16/1 |
| 6th | The Lion In Winter | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | 8/11 |
| 7th | Tuscan Hills | David Egan | Raphael E Freire | 22/1 |
| 8th | Sea Scout | Harry Davies | Simon & Ed Crisford | 25/1 |
| 9th | Royal Playwright | Oisin Murphy | Andrew Balding | 12/1 |
| 10th | Mister Rizz | Tom Marquand | Ed Walker | 50/1 |
| 11th | Alpine Trail | William Buick | Charlie Appleby | 13/2 |
Crossing the line in sixth, four lengths adrift of the winner, the long-term ante-post favourite has lost his place atop the Derby market. A general 5/2 before the Dante, he is now out to as big as 6/1.
Disappointing as this display was, O’Brien has a history of inspiring massive improvement in his runners ahead of Epsom. Auguste Rodin and City Of Troy were both woeful in the 2,000 Guineas before storming to success in June. Could The Lion In Winter follow suit? O’Brien certainly hasn’t given up hope, with the trainer stating:
“He’s not just going to improve, he’s going to make a lot of improvement.”
Pride Ready For Epsom Stage?
If The Lion In Winter were to disappoint, the market suggested that the unbeaten Godolphin runner Alpine Trail or 2,000 Guineas fifth Wimbledon Hawkeye would be most likely to take advantage. The latter ran a solid enough race in third, but the former finished a bitterly disappointing last of the eleven runners.
In the end, the prize did fall to an unbeaten runner, just not the one most expected. Hailing from the yard of Ralph Beckett, the New Bay colt Pride Of Arras had raced only once during his juvenile campaign. Whilst visually impressive in claiming that Maiden event at Sandown, this represented a huge step up in class. The mount of Rossa Ryan handled it with ease.
Travelling notably well throughout, Pride Of Arras briefly looked short of room in the straight. However, once the gap appeared, he shot through it in the style of a seriously smart performer to move ahead of the field. A length and a quarter clear at the line, the 18/1 shot looks every inch a legitimate Derby contender on this evidence.
A delighted Beckett summed up this excellent effort when stating:
“That was everything I hoped for and more.”
Coming closest when saddling Westover to finish third in 2022, could Pride Of Arras be the colt to take Beckett into the Derby Winners’ Enclosure? 50/1 for the June 7th showstopper before the race, he is now as short as 4/1.