Dante Stakes 2026 Preview
The Dante Stakes is traditionally one of the strongest Derby trials of the entire Flat season and this year’s renewal looks another fascinating contest featuring several unbeaten or rapidly progressive colts from the sport’s biggest stables.
At Turf Talk, every runner has been assessed using our combined trends and ratings model, incorporating historical Dante Stakes trends, trainer and jockey form, Racing Post Ratings, Topspeed figures, progression profiles and likely suitability for York’s demanding ten furlongs.
The going is currently expected to be good, which should place a strong emphasis on tactical speed, balance and the ability to quicken off a true pace.
Key Dante Stakes Trends
• 20/20 winners were not coming from DON/EPS/LEO/NCS last time out
• 20/20 winners had not won a Group 3 or Class 2 race previously
• 20/20 winners were beaten no more than 4 lengths on debut
• 20/20 winners started within the first seven in the betting
• 20/20 winners had not previously won at Group 3 level
• 20/20 winners won their previous race by at least a neck
• 19/20 winners were no bigger than 20/1 for a placed effort previously
• 18/20 winners were no bigger than 11/1 on debut
• 18/20 winners were no bigger than 14/1 last time out
• 18/20 winners had placed within their previous two starts
• 17/20 winners were drawn in stalls 2-7
• 17/20 winners had won within their previous two starts
The final Turf Talk ratings also factor in current stable form, jockey form, speed figures, progression potential and overall Derby trial suitability.
Turf Talk Ratings
| Horse | Rating | Trainer | Jockey | Trends | Key Positives | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas Day | 361 | Aidan O’Brien | Ryan Moore | 12/12 | Outstanding Turf Talk rating, powerful Ballydoyle profile, Ryan Moore booked, progressive figures and ideal trends setup | TOP RATED |
| Morshdi | 293 | William Haggas | Tom Marquand | 11/12 | Unbeaten progressive profile, excellent trainer form, already proven at York and strong tactical setup | MAIN DANGER |
| King’s Trail | 180 | Charlie Appleby | William Buick | 10/12 | Godolphin colt with significant upside, Buick booked and likely capable of major improvement from seasonal return | SHORTLIST |
| Al Zanati | 177 | Charlie Appleby | Billy Loughnane | 10/12 | Consistent form profile, strong RPR figures and comes from a stable with an excellent Derby trial record | CONTENDER |
| Item | 136 | Andrew Balding | Colin Keane | 9/12 | Interesting unbeaten colt with scope to improve further stepping into Group company | DARK HORSE |
| Guildmaster | 127 | John & Thady Gosden | James Doyle | 8/12 | Respected connections and solid profile but ratings currently leave him with ground to make up | PLACE CHANCE |
| Wise Prince | 126 | John & Thady Gosden | Robert Havlin | 8/12 | Nicely bred improver who may progress again, although lacks the standout figures of the principals | NEEDS MORE |
| Action | 124 | Aidan O’Brien | Wayne Lordan | 8/12 | High official mark and strong formline but current profile slightly weaker than stablemate Christmas Day | RESPECTED |
The ratings combine historical trends, speed figures, trainer form, jockey form, ratings and projected progression.
Final Verdict
Christmas Day comes out clearly on top in the Turf Talk ratings after combining a near-perfect trends profile with elite connections, strong progression and the standout overall figures in the field. Ryan Moore’s booking only strengthens confidence that this colt is viewed as a serious Derby contender.
Morshdi rates the biggest threat after an impressive unbeaten progression profile and already has proven York form, while Guildmaster remains a fascinating Godolphin runner capable of taking a sizeable step forward from his reappearance.
The Appleby pair would usually command respect but the stable is in a really bad patch and I couldn’t touch a Charlie Appleby horse right now. At some point I will miss out on a decent winner or 2 but over the last few weeks I have saved a fortune leaving them alone.
Turf Talk Ratings Datasheet
For those interested in the numbers behind the preview, the image below shows our Turf Talk ratings datasheet produced before the final selections are made.
This sheet brings together the key raw factors we use as a starting point, including ratings, speed figures, PRB, trainer form, jockey combinations, going suitability, course and distance form and other positive indicators. Final selections are then made after taking additional race-reading factors into account, including draw, pace setup, market shape and overall value.
