Aidan O'Brien expects his Betfred Derby favourite The Lion In Winter to "improve a ton" for his eagerly-anticipated return to action in Thursday's Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York.
The Sea The Stars colt supplemented debut success at the Curragh with a Group Three victory in the Acomb Stakes on the Knavesmire last summer and spent the winter months at the head of ante-post lists for the 2000 Guineas.
However, O’Brien revealed in March that he was unlikely to be ready to begin his Classic campaign on the Rowley Mile and he instead bids to enhance his Derby credentials at York.
"We’re delighted that it looks like he’s going to make it," said the Ballydoyle handler.
"We weren’t sure he would – he’s been off a long time. But with the Derby in mind, it was the perfect prep. Obviously, it’s a very good Derby trial.
"He’s going to improve a ton from whatever he does. Hopefully, he’s going to run well and that we’ve enough done with him to help him to run well. But I’m looking forward to it and to see what’s going to happen.
"It’s going to be very interesting. Hopefully, we have him in a good enough place to show what his potential could be."
Having not yet raced beyond seven furlongs, The Lion In Winter will have his stamina tested over an extended mile and a quarter at York before a planned step up to a mile and a half at Epsom.
On the Derby trip, O’Brien added: "You can never be sure. He doesn’t work like a mile-and-a-half horse really, he works like a miler.
"I know most horses by Sea The Stars do stay, but obviously we’re going to have to wait and see first before we can be really sure of anything."
A lack of fitness will not be an issue for Alpine Trail, who since making a winning debut at Wolverhampton in February has landed a novice prize at Yarmouth and impressed in the Listed Newmarket Stakes, prompting connections to supplement him for the Dante at a cost of £14,000 last week.
Trainer Charlie Appleby told www.godolphin.com: "Alpine Trail has done very little wrong to date. We know he gets this trip and feel he will get further.
"He is a hard horse to assess because he wouldn’t get you too excited in the mornings, although you cannot fault what he has achieved on the track.
"The Lion In Winter looks the standout in the race, although our horse won’t be out of place in an otherwise competitive renewal."
James Owen will saddle the 2000 Guineas fifth Wimbledon Hawkeye, who was second to The Lion In Winter at York in the Acomb as a two-year-old.
The Newmarket handler is relishing moving the son of Kameko up to 10 furlongs ahead of a tilt at the Derby and said: "I think he’s been crying out for a step up in trip and ran so well at the track last year. He’s fit from a couple of runs and I think he has a great chance.
"We’re hopeful the Acomb formline is as good as it looks on paper and he’s run two solid races this year. We rode him slightly different in the Guineas and he was doing his best work at the end of that race, so I think he’ll love the extra two furlongs.
"He settled well in the Guineas and came home so well and he just doesn’t look like a miler now – he wants a trip.
"One hundred per cent the Derby will still be the plan after this, he’s a tough horse and we said we were going to run him plenty and he takes racing so well. He was fresh straight away after the Guineas and of course we need to run well to confirm our place in the Derby, but I couldn’t be happier with him at home."
Ralph Beckett is represented by once-raced Sandown maiden winner Pride Of Arras, while Tuscan Hills is a fascinating contender having won each of his two juvenile starts for Raphael Freire.
Other runners include John and Thady Gosden’s Classic Trial third Damysus and his stablemate Nightwalker, who needs to improve after filling the same position in the Feilden Stakes on his first start as a three-year-old.
Barry Mahon, racing manager to Nightwalker’s owner-breeders Juddmonte, said: "I think he needed his first run this year in the Feilden. I think John and Thady concentrated on relaxing him over the winter and they felt after the race that maybe they switched him off a little bit too much.
"He’s come forward nicely for that run and I think we’ll find out a bit more in the Dante. It looks a very strong renewal, but he’s a colt we like and if he acquits himself well, the Derby at Epsom would be very much a possible."
