HIGHEST Ground will put his unbeaten record and tall reputation on the line in Thursday’s Dante Stakes at York.
Usually run in mid-May as a major trial for the Derby, Thursday’s Group 2 is this year being run five days after Serpentine’s runaway win at Epsom.
There was a clamour in some quarters for connections of the Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt to run him in the Derby after his convincing victory at Haydock 22 days ago.
But Alan Cooper, racing manager for Highest Ground’s owner the Niarchos Family, said the timing of the Dante was perfect for the son of Frankel.
Cooper said: “It was a good performance at Haydock, and afterwards the Dante looked the logical next step.
“It’s obviously unusual to be running races like the Dante and the Musidora at this time of year – the fact these races are clashing with the first day of the July meeting at Newmarket just underlines what a strange year it is.
“It looks a good step for our horse to take – I’m sure it will be an interesting race.”
Highest Ground is a short-priced favourite to dispatch his five rivals on the Knavesmire, with Betfair making him a 4-6 chance.
Among his opposition is Aidan O’Brien’s Derrinstown winner Cormorant, Thundering, who lost his unbeaten record on his reappearance, and Hampton Court Stakes fourth Juan Elcano.
The other runner boasting an unbeaten record is Al Madhar, who edged out John Gosden’s Encipher at Newbury last month.
Angus Gold said of Al Madhar: “I think the favourite looks very smart, to my eye.
“Our horse is difficult to weigh up, because sometimes his work can be pretty good and other times it can be pretty average, but he has obviously done nothing wrong on the racecourse.
“I think a mile and a quarter is the right place for him at the moment – he may stay further, but he won what I thought was a high-quality race over a mile and a quarter last time, so we thought we’d stick for the time being.
“It will be interesting to see how he gets on.”
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https://www.sportingexcitement.com/horse-racing/frankie-dettori-confident-enable-will-turn-form-around-with-charlie-applebys-ghaiyyath-when-the-giants-next-meet
