Wednesday, York, post time: 15:13, 1895 DUKE OF YORK CLIPPER STAKES-G2, £150,000, 3yo/up, 6fT
Field: Elite Status (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal), Kerdos (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), Marshman (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), Night Raider (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Royal Zabeel (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Flora Of Bermuda (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Rage Of Bamby (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).
TDN Verdict: There is still plenty of time for Night Raider to justify his early TDN Rising Star tag, particularly having dominated Newcastle's Listed Golden Rose Stakes on only his third start over this trip. Stablemate Elite Status will be a tough nut to crack and has the form in the book, having beaten the subsequent Golden Eagle hero Lake Forest in Newbury's G3 Hackwood Stakes last term, while Inisherin doesn't look fast enough for this track on all known evidence. His G1 Commonwealth Cup success came over Ascot's stiff six and it will only be when he is back up to seven furlongs or a mile that we will see the best of this long-striding class act. [Tom Frary].
Wednesday, York, post time: 15:45, TATTERSALLS MUSIDORA STAKES-G3, £130,000, 3yo, f, 10f 56yT
Field: Go Go Boots (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Miss Tonnerre (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Serenity Prayer (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Smoken (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Tattycoram (GB) (Camelot {GB}), Whirl (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).
TDN Verdict: With the Oaks standouts Desert Flower and Falakeyah far from guaranteed to either stay the trip or turn up, the Epsom picture remains an open one with room for a nice Musidora winner to step into. There are three or four in here capable of making a big breakthrough, but first they have to stop the seemingly relentless current momentum of Ballydoyle in the Classic trials. Whirl wouldn't be one of the more formidable ones that Aidan O'Brien has sent here, even if she won the G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes in October, but then neither was Snowfall four years ago and like that former luminary she is going up in trip with abundant improvement possible. Early evidence suggests the Too Darn Hots are staying a lot better than he did and the Listed Montrose Fillies' Stakes winner Smoken is probably the biggest threat, while the Newbury maiden scorer Serenity Prayer and Lingfield novice winner Go Go Boots probably have a lot more to offer. [Tom Frary].
Wednesday, Vichy, France, post time: 15:57, PRIX DES REVES D'OR – JACQUES BOUCHARA-Listed, €60,000, 2yo, 5fT
Field: Minotor (Fr) (Goken {Fr}), Imperial Me Cen (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Anesidora (Fr) (Fighting Irish {Ire}), Golden Breeze (Fr) (Nando Parrado {GB}), The Best Glory (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}), Pink Roche (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}), Nyoka (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}), Wana Chope (Fr) (Gutaifan {Ire}), Hold My Hand (Fr) (Threat {Ire}), Lady'armor (Fr) (Armor {GB}).
TDN Verdict: France's first juvenile black-type event of 2025 sees the fillies dominate at least numerically, with Golden Breeze and Lady'armor renewing rivalry. The former won by four lengths when their paths crossed on debut at La Teste in March, with Lady'armor going on to underline the merit of that form by winning with authority next time at Lyon-Parilly. [Tom Frary].
Thursday, York, post time: 15:45, AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI DANTE STAKES-G2, £192,200, 3yo, 10f 56yT
Field: Alpine Trail (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Damysus (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Devil's Advocate (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Mister Rizz (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Nightwalker (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Pride Of Arras (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Sea Scout (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Tuscan Hills (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko).
TDN Verdict: After a few days of wiping the floor with the British and fellow Irish Derby and Oaks prospects, Aidan O'Brien brings out his biggest gun in The Lion In Winter and if he is anything like the force he looked here last August it could be that by the end of the afternoon the Blue Riband market is blown apart. The Acomb Stakes that he dominated at the Ebor Festival may have only been a Group 3, but with Wimbledon Hawkeye and Ruling Court trailing in his wake it has taken on an extra dimension. Charlie Appleby revealed after the Listed Newmarket Stakes that he is finding it hard to gauge what Alpine Trail has in his tank, so this will tell all while there is a big chance that the Listed Blue Riband Trial winner Sea Scout has been underestimated. The impressive Listed Silver Tankard Stakes scorer Tuscan Hills and Sandown maiden winner Pride Of Arras help to make up what is by far the most meaningful Derby trial staged so far. [Tom Frary].
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