Kick-off of the Dante Festival

York, Wednesday 17 May: The three-day Dante Festival starts today at York Racecourse. The first main event is the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes (3rd race/16.00/140,000 pounds/1200m).

Last year`s winner Highfield Princess (Jason Hart) will be defending her title. The six-year-old later went on to win at Group 1 level and finished a very creditable fourth in the Breeders` Cup (Group 1) behind Emaraaty Ana (Tom Eaves), who was third here in the Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1). Creative Force (William Buick) slipped between the latter two in the Breeders` Cup. Current Godolphin rehearsed victoriously at Haydock for today`s assignment. Marshman (Clifford Lee), a strong runner-up in the Al Quoz Sprint (Group 1) at Meydan this year, and Azure Blue (Paul Mulrennan), who won at Newmarket only eleven days ago, are other contenders with good chances.

The Musidora Stakes (4th race/16.35pm/125,000 pounds/2063m) is reserved for three-year-old fillies. Infinite Cosmos (Richard Kingscote) was so pleasing in her Maiden win at Newmarket that the Sir Michael Stoute-trained three-year-old is favourite over Novakai (Clifford Lee), who finished a strong second in the Fillies Mile (Group 1) among other races. Gather Ye Rosebuds (Jamie Spencer) recommended herself for the coming tasks with a highly superior success at Newbury. Lambada (Ryan Moore), Midnight Mile (Oisin Orr) and Sea Of Roses (Oisin Murphy) were also convincing winners.