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Midterm (Sir Michael Stoute) goes on trial for the Investec Derby when he lines up in the Group Two Betfred Dante Stakes over an extended 10 furlongs at York this Thursday, May 12.
The son of Galileo, out of 2009 Investec Oaks runner-up and six-time Group One winner Midday, is currently the 11/4 favourite for the Investec Derby with Coral, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival.
Winner of his only two-year-old start in a maiden at Newbury, the Khalid Abdullah-owned colt leapt into the picture for the Investec Derby when taking the Group Three bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown Park on April 22.
There are 12 declared runners for the Betfred Dante Stakes, seven of whom are entered in the premier Classic, the Investec Derby.
Aidan O'Brien is set to be represented at York by Investec Derby entries Black Sea, a Listed winner over a mile at Leopardstown last month and Deauville, a Group Three winner in 2015. Ryan Moore partners Deauville at York with Seamie Heffernan on Black Sea.
Owen Burrows already has one Investec Derby contender in QIPCO 2000 Guineas runner-up Massaat and is hoping Muntazah can lay down a marker in the Betfred Dante Stakes. The pair are owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum with the owner's retained jockey Paul Hanagan partnering Muntazah in the Betfred Dante Stakes.
Muntazah got off the mark at the third attempt in a seven-furlong maiden at Leicester in early September before chasing home Foundation and Deauville when third in the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket later the same month.
Burrows said: "We have been pleased with Muntazah. He is working nicely and hopefully York will stay dry because we have been waiting for the faster ground for him.
"Being such a big horse, I think what we saw last year was a bonus. He was unlucky not to win first time out and on his second run he got stuck in the ground a little bit.
"He won nicely at Leicester and I thought he ran a solid enough race in the Royal Lodge.
"From past experiences the Dante has always been the best of the trials and, although it will be tough, we should learn on Thursday where we go for the rest of the season."
Muntazah is a 66/1 shot for the Investec Derby with Coral.
Last season John Gosden famously enjoyed a 1-2 in the Betfred Dante Stakes with Golden Horn and Jack Hobbs, with the same two horses going on to fill the same two places in the Investec Derby. This year Gosden again has two runners at York with last year's Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes winner Foundation and recent impressive maiden winner Wings Of Desire lining up. Foundation is 16/1 for the Investec Derby with Coral, while Wings Of Desire is not currently entered at Epsom Downs. Foundation will be partnered by William Buick on Thursday with Frankie Dettori aboard Wings Of Desire.
The other York runners also holding Investec Derby entries are Harrison (Mick Channon) and Top Beak (Hughie Morrison).
Investec Oaks hopefuls go on trial tomorrow, Wednesday, May 11, in the Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York. Run over the same extended 10 furlongs as the Betfred Dante Stakes, six of the seven runners in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes are entered in the Investec Oaks, headed by the unbeaten So Mi Dar (John Gosden), who saw off the colts when taking the Investec Derby Trial at Epsom Downs on April 20. She is currently the 5/1 second favourite with Coral for the Investec Oaks.
The Investec Derby, Britain's richest race and premier Classic with a prize fund of at least £1.325 million, takes place at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 4, Investec Derby Day. The £450,000 Investec Oaks is staged on Friday, June 3, Investec Ladies' Day.
Investec Derby, latest Coral odds: 11/4 Midterm; 9/2 US Army Ranger; 10/1 Moonlight Magic; 12/1 Cloth Of Stars (Needs Supplementing); 14/1 Massaat; 16/1 Foundation, Idaho, The Gurkha; 20/1 Port Douglas, Zarak, Royal Artillery, Harzand; 25/1 San Francisco, Johannes Vermeer, Shogun, Marcel, Carntop, Algometer, Humphrey Bogart (Needs Supplementing); 33/1 Deauville, Emotionless, Embiran, Aasheq, Blue de Vega, Claudio Monteverdi, Ezanak; 40/1 BAR
Investec Oaks, latest Coral odds: Evens Minding; 5/1 So Mi Dar; 8/1 Ballydoyle; 16/1 Turret Rocks, Even Song, Pretty Perfect, Seventh Heaven; 20/1 Alice Springs, Coolmore, Architecture, Fadillah, Somehow, Queen's Trust; 25/1 Best In The World, Glamorous Approach, Ajman Princess, Clear Skies, Dawn Of Hope, Fireglow, The Juliet Rose; 33/1 How High The Moon, Beautiful Morning, Andastra, Beauly, Chastushka, Chinoiseries, Danilovna, Diamonds Pour Moi, Earring, First Victory, Golden Reign, Last Tango Inparis, Like A Star, Love Potion, Prefer, Promising Run, September Stars, Tiptree, Very Dashing, Zaakhir
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