Highlights later in the week

Thursday´s big race at York is the Dante Stakes at 15.30 CET, normally the best Derby trial, and the likely field includes Bonfire (Andrew Balding/ Jimmy Fortune) and Mandaean (Mahmood al Zarooni/ Mikel Barzalona), both sons of Manduro and both prominent in Derby betting behind Camelot. Al Zarooni also holds a strong hand in Friday´s Yorkshire Cup, the first of the Cup races over long distances, when he saddles German-bred Be Fabulous (Barzalona) and Opinion Poll (Frankie Dettori).

Saturday sees the first British Group One race for older horses of 2012, the Lockinge Stakes over a mile at Newbury, and the return to action of Frankel (Sir Henry Cecil/ Tom Queally), officially rated the best horse in the world and still unbeaten. He should remain so, although it would be no surprise to see Excelebration, now with Aidan O´Brien and 3 times behind Frankel in 2011, get closer this time. On Sunday the action switches to Baden-Baden, which is where we shall be to see the seasonal debut of Arc winner Danedream.