2025 Dante Stakes Tips - Outsider worth watching in Thursday's Derby Trial

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: 14 May 2025

Jon Vine 14 May 2025

Share this article

Odds and betting predictions for the 2025 Dante Stakes
This Group Two takes place at York on Thursday 15th May
The Lion In Winter heads the ante-post betting

Expired

The Dante Stakes at York. (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 this year's renewal promises to be a cracker.

Here's our free guide to the 2025 Dante Stakes, including our best betting tips.

2025 Dante Stakes Odds

Name	Odds
The Lion In Winter	Evens
Alpine Trail	6/1
Wimbledon Hawkeye	7/1
Pride Of Arras	11/1
Tuscan Hills	14/1
Bar	16/1

2025 Dante Stakes Entries

Aidan O'Brien has won all of the Derby Trials so far this season, so it'll take a brave punter to side against hot-favourite The Lion In Winter. O'Brien's colt was unbeaten in two starts as a juvenile, including an impressive victory in the Acomb Stakes here at York in August.

Charlie Appleby's Alpine Trail will also defend an unbeaten record, having won the Newmarket Stakes on his third outing of 2025. James Owen will be represented by Wimbledon Hawkeye, who followed The Lion In Winter home in the Acomb and steps up in trip following a fifth-place finish in the 2000 Guineas.

Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan team up with the once-raced Pride Of Arras. David Egan has been confirmed in the saddle of the unbeaten Tuscan Hills. The Wathnan Racing colours could be carried by Damysus, who finished third in the Classic Trial at Sandown last month.

Surprise Blue Ribband Trial winner, Sea Scout is entered by Simon & Ed Crisford. Other runners include Royal Playwright, Night Walker, Mister Rizz and Devils' Advocate.

2025 Dante Stakes Tips

A strong field has been confirmed against The Lion In Winter on Thursday. I doubt whether any of the other entrants are as talented and as classy as the market leader, and Aidan O'Brien has completely dominated the Epsom trials that have taken place across Britain and Ireland.

Yet, The Lion In Winter has a lengthy absence to overcome and O'Brien had hoped to get his star out earlier in the season. Given those fitness doubts, Evens looks like an awfully skinny price.

There are several contenders at longer prices who catch my eye. Damysus ran a lovely race when third in the Classic Trial at Sandown and will surely improve with another run under his belt. Royal Playwright looked like a middle-distance horse last term and he too should come on for that reappearance third at Newcastle.

Then there's MISTER RIZZ (28/1), who steps up to Graded company following two novice runs so far this term. Ed Walker's colt went close on his racecourse debut at Kempton, losing out narrowly to the far more experienced Fifth Column, who went on to score in the Esher Cup at Sandown.

Walker's youngster then thrashed two rivals to open his account at Doncaster. As often happens with small-field races, they went a crawl early on, but I was still impressed with the style in which Mister Rizz swept his two opponents aside and his closing sectionals were impressive compared to the other races on the card.

Tom Marquand's mount is bred to be challenging at this sort of level, being by Lope De Vega and out of a former Ribblesdale winner, Frankly Darling. A wide draw in stall ten might not be ideal, but Mister Rizz is clearly a talented colt and I'm hoping he'll take this step up in grade in his stride.