The Dante was named after the Yorkshire-trained winner of the Derby substitute at Newmarket in 1945. Established in 1958, it serves as a major trial for the Derby with 10 winners, including Erhaab, Benny The Dip, North Light and Authorized going on to success in Epsom and the winner is generally a major player in the colts’ classic.

2000

No secrets for Sakhee

THIS week 20 years ago it was the John Dunlop-trained Sakhee who battled to victory on the Knavesmire in the colours of Hamdan Al Maktoum under jockey Richard Hills, beating Pawn Broker by a length and a half. At Epsom, he went off second favourite behind Beat Hollow but found one too good in Sinndar.

Favourite

He went on to start favourite for a high class Eclipse Stakes, where he could only finish fourth to Giant’s Causeway, Kalaniski and Shiva and did not reappear at three.

Moving to Godolphin for his four-year-old season, he wasn’t seen until July at Newbury but went on to put up scintillating performances, back at York for the International beating Grandera by seven lengths and when winning the Arc by six. He went down by the narrowest of margins in the Breeders’s Cup Classic on dirt to Tiznow.

His best sons at stud were the July Cup winner Sahkee’s Secret and international campaigner Presvis.

2005

Motivator makes his name

MOTIVATOR came to York in 2005 already the Derby favourite after winning the Racing Post Trophy at two. Under Johnny Murtagh, Michael Bell’s Highclere Thoroughbreds-owned colt made no mistake in the Dante, as evens favourite he beat The Geezer by a length and a half.

His Derby odds of 3/1 now look a gift as he was tremendously impressive in racing to a five-length win from Walk In The Park, another son of Montjeu. A horse called Dubawi was third.

He went on to the Eclipse but, starting at evens, he found Oratario a half length too good on good to firm ground. Kevin Darley was on board when he again went down to Oratario in the Irish Champions Stakes, and he ended his seven-race racing career with a fifth to Hurricane Run in the Arc when he was sent off favourite.

At stud his greatest achievement is as the sire of the dual Arc winner Treve.

2015

Horn kicks off Golden season

GOLDEN Horn was only the second favourite at 4/1 for the Dante in 2015 behind his stable companion Jack Hobbs when William Buick brought him home two and three quarter lengths clear of the favourite.

At Epsom, Frankie Dettori took over and he gave his sire Cape Cross another top class Derby winner, extending his advantage over Jack Hobbs. He remained unbeaten with another impressive win in the Eclipse but suffered a shock defeat at the hands of 50/1 shot Arabian Queen in the International at York.

Back to his best, he added the Irish Champion Stakes before the crowning glory under a masterful ride to overcome a wide draw in the Arc to beat Flintshire by two lengths.

His long season and softer ground may have been his undoing when Found beat him half a length in the Breeders’ Cup but he was one of the best colts of the last five years, winning seven of his nine races.