CONFIRMED RUNNERS AND RIDERS FOR THE DANTE AT YORK ON THURSDAY

Wood Ditton winner Passenger will face 11 rivals when stepping up to Group 2 company on his second start in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York on Thursday.

Sir Michael Stoute won this race with subsequent Derby winner Desert Crown last year and Passenger is a general 20-1 shot for the Epsom Classic. He does, however, need to be supplemented for the big race on June 3.

Ryan Moore rode the son of Ulysses to a three-length debut success at Newmarket last month but Richard Kingscote takes over in the saddle, with Moore riding the Aidan O’Brien-trained Continuous.

Continuous won both starts at two, including a Group 3 at Saint-Cloud, but is not entered in the Derby. He is entered in the King Edward VII Stakes, the Irish Derby and the Eclipse later in the season.

The John Murphy-trained White Birch is the other runner from Ireland and arrives on the back of a Group 3 win in the Ballysax at Leopardstown last month.

Charlie Appleby and William Buick won the Dante with subsequent Derby third Hurricane Lane in 2021 and they team up with last year’s Zetland winner Flying Honours.

He will have to reverse last year’s debut form around with the John and Thady Gosden-trained Epictetus. Frankie Dettori’s mount finished his two-year-old campaign with a fine second to Auguste Rodin in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster and made a successful return in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom last month.

James Ferguson runs the unbeaten Canberra Legend, who took his record to 2-2 when winning the Listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket last month. Daniel Muscutt maintains the partnership on the exciting colt, while Oisin Murphy is aboard Craven runner-up The Foxes for Andrew Balding.

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