2024 Dante Stakes Tips - Burke's star can reach new Heights at York

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: 15 May 2024

Jon Vine 15 May 2024

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Odds and betting predictions for the 2024 Dante Stakes
This Group Two takes place at York on Thursday 16th May
Caviar Heights is our best betting tip at 5/1

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Clifford Lee riding Caviar Heights win The William Hill Newmarket Stakes. (Getty)

What many consider to be the most important trial for the Epsom Derby will be run at York on Thursday, as a field of Epsom hopefuls take part in the historic Dante Stakes. This 10-furlong Group Two has been won by plenty of future Derby winners down the years and one of last season's Group One winners currently dominated the market.

Here's our free guide to the 2024 Dante Stakes, including our best betting tips.

2024 Dante Stakes Odds

Name	Odds
Ancient Wisdom	6/4
Al Musmak	7/2
Caviar Heights	5/1
Economics	10/1
Cambridge	14/1
God's Window	20/1
War Rooms	25/1

2024 Dante Stakes Entries

Topping the market for Thursday's feature at York is Ancient Wisdom. Charlie Appleby's Derby entrant will be having his first start of the season, having ended his juvenile campaign with Group One glory in the Futurity Trophy.

James Doyle and Roger Varian team up with Royal Lodge runner-up Al Musmak, who'll also be making his seasonal reappearance. Karl Burke will step Caviar Heights up to Group Two level, following a runaway victory in the Newmarket Stakes two weeks ago.

Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore will be hoping to see Craven Stakes fourth, Cambridge improve for this longer distance. William Haggas will be represented by Economics, who stormed to victory in a maiden at Newbury last month.

God's Window is turned out again, just seven days after finishing last in the Chester Vase. Owen Burrow's War Rooms, who finished sixth behind another Godolphin Derby hope in the Classic Trial at Sandown on his reappearance, rounds off the field.

2024 Dante Stakes Tips

When looking through the last decade of Epsom Derby statistics, you see that the Dante has produced more winners and placers than any other trial, so Thursday's feature must be watched closely.

Charlie Appleby won this Group Two with Hurricane Lane a few years ago and Ancient Wisdom is the best horse he's ever sent to the Dante. The form of his Futurity Trophy win looks reasonably solid and his dam was a pattern-race winner over a mile-and-a-half, so seeing out this trip shouldn't be an issue. However, all of the last ten winners of the Dante had been seen already that season and 2014 winner The Grey Gatsby was the last colt to have run in a Group One as a juvenile before going on to win this trial at York.

Al Musmak will also be making his first start of the season in the Dante and I'm not entirely convinced that this step up in trip will suit. God's Window and War Rooms are overpriced, but both would want the ground to be on the soft side and, with just two places available, there's little scope for an each-way punt.

All of Aidan O'Brien's Classic contenders have improved for their first outing, so Cambridge cannot be ruled out over this more suitable trip. Economics is also bred to be more effective over middle distances and William Haggas' youngster looked good when winning his maiden at Newbury last month.

CAVIAR HEIGHTS (5/1) also has the ideal profile for the Dante. Karl Burke's charge showed promise at two and ran a cracker on his reappearance in the Feilden, placing third behind Jayarebe after going off at 50/1.

Clifford Lee's mount built on that showing with a powerful performance in the Newmarket Stakes, beating Sayedaty Sadaty by four lengths, with the rest of the field strung out in increasingly wide intervals. This son of Sea The Stars may be out of a seven-furlong sprinter, but Caviar Heights had no trouble seeing out ten furlongs on the Rowley Mile and he'll be fitter than most of his rivals on Thursday.

Verdict

2024 Dante Stakes

Caviar Heights is our best bet in the 2024 Dante Stakes.

Caviar Heights

2024 Dante Stakes Tips

@5/1 - 10 Units

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