FOLLOWING IN FAMOUS FOOTSTEPS TO YORK
It is one of the jewels in the crown of Yorkshire racing, but the fact remains that since the first running of the totesport.com Dante Stakes 50 years ago, only one Yorkshire trainer has won it.
Snowy Gray, whose yard was behind the Rose & Crown pub in Beverley, won the fifth running of the Dante with Lucky Brief back in 1962 and though he repeated the feat with Ballymarais three years later, there has been nothing for the county since.
And in these days when the big battalions of Coolmore and Godolphin regularly mop up the group races, particularly the important Derby trials, it is going to be harder than ever.
So, this year, it could be all eyes on Tom Tate, who is considering attempting to perform the biggest of giant-killing acts and end the drought for Yorkshire trainers.
Tate, who made his name as a jumps trainer, has switched to the Flat with increasing effect in recent years, but he knows it will be a tall order for his colt West With The Wind to lower the colours of some of the blue bloods on show.
“To be honest, I sometimes wonder why I let this particular hare run, but I always thought the Dante might be the race for him although I really wanted him to have a run first.
“He has been ready to go for four weeks now, but the ground has not been right for him and while I could be a giant killer, I could just as easily be left with egg on my face” laughed Tate.
The trainer added: “We have yet to make a final decision on whether to run as we know it will be very difficult for him, but we shall see”.
West With The Wind is still a maiden after two runs, but he turned in an eye-catching run on his debut at Doncaster at the end of October and followed up with another bold show at Nottingham the following month.
What is really taking is that he is a colt with plenty of size about him and whatever Tate decides to do later this week, West With The Wind looks sure to win plenty of races over middle distances in the future.
