Tartan Bearer wins Dante

Odds-on favourite lets down punters

Last updated: 15th May 2008

Tartan Bearer wins Dante

Tartan Bearer storms home

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Tartan Bearer, trained by Sir Michael Stoute and ridden by Ryan Moore, won the totesport.com Dante Stakes at York.

Frozen Fire under Johnny Murtagh was second, but odds-on favourite Twice Over could only manage third.

The 10/1 winner was last in the early stages but soon made up ground when Moore went for his stick.

Settling down to battle it out with 14/1 chance Frozen Fire inside the distance, the son of Spectrum always looked on top and stuck his neck out to grab the spoils.

Henry Cecil's Twice Over was sent off the 4-6 favourite but failed to quicken inside the final quarter-mile.

Moore told Channel 4 Racing: "The boss had him spot-on. When he got to the front he just idled, but he really knuckled down in the last furlong and stuck his neck out when the O'Brien horse (Frozen Fire) came to him - he's a very honest horse."

Epsom

The Dante is traditionally seen as a Derby trial and Stoute confirmed that Tartan Bearer will be heading to Epsom next month.

"It was a pleasing performance and he's progressed so well since Leicester," he said.

"He's travelled so well and he doesn't overdo it when he gets there, but it's a learning process and he was in front long enough so it will have taught him a bit.

"He will go (to Epsom) and of my others Tajaaweed will go, but we still have to discuss whether Doctor Fremantle does too."

Murtagh said: "He has run a great race. We always thought he had a lot of ability, but we don't know what happened to him in his last race.

"I thought I was going to win, but Ryan just got me on the line. It was a mile and a quarter and his first race of the year, whereas Ryan's horse had run before this season."

Slight doubts surrounded Twice Over's participation in the key trial, with fast ground causing some concern for connections.

Disappointing

But trainer Henry Cecil was not inclined to use conditions as an excuse and was left disappointed by the eclipse of his previously-unbeaten colt, with whom he skipped the 2000 Guineas in favour of a Derby preparation.

He said: "I am not blaming the ground as all the others went on it. He came there and emptied out and he was disappointing really.

"Whether he needs to come back in distance or not I don't know. It is up to the Prince (Khalid Abdullah), but I don't think he will run in the Derby after that."