Dante Festival: The Horses are coming

FANSHAWE AND EUSTACE TARGET GROUP 2 PRIZE AT YORK

KIND OF BLUE AND TIME FOR SANDALS

ON COURSE FOR GO LOCAL STORES MINSTER STAKES

Racing returns to York on Wednesday when a list of stars will be in action at the traditional curtain-raising, Dante Festival.

Among those set to line up is Kind Of Blue, who is being aimed at the Group 2 Go Local Stores Minster Stakes, the £165,000 sprint highlight of the opening seven-race card.

In autumn 2024 Kind Of Blue announced himself as a sprinter from the top drawer when, as a three-year-old, he won the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot.

And this spring the Blue Point entire is showing all the right signs on the Newmarket gallops after a less than straightforward 2025 campaign.

Trainer James Fanshawe said: “It’s gone much smoother than last year. We kept on getting interruptions in 2025 and we could never really get a clear run at him.

“The aim was to go to York last year and it didn’t happen. But touch wood, this year he’s had a nice clear run, is moving well, has been working well, so I’m very happy with him.

“I think he’s actually grown up a lot. In his training at home, he’s been great – he’s been really straightforward to train this year.

“His action is really good. That is what we’ve been concentrating on and keeping him moving well. So far, so good. With regard to his temperament, he just enjoys his work, he is an enthusiast – he might be a bit fresh first time out.

“It will be good to get him out. He did a nice bit of work on the Watered Gallop last week and when he has had a clear run with things, he’s a good colt. Hopefully, he will run well next week.”

Fellow Newmarket trainer, Harry Eustace, has already got a first run into Time For Sandals ahead of the six-furlong contest on the Knavesmire.

Last year’s Group 1 Commonwealth Cup heroine contested last month’s Abernant Stakes at Newmarket where she finished fifth of fourteen, beaten less than two lengths.

Eustace said: “I thought she went through the race as well as we could hope; probably just a little ring rusty, first run after a long time off.

“But she has come out of the race very well. She is mentally much sharper which is really what we were looking for. We know the ability is in there and I think everyone felt after Newmarket that six at York would be ideal.”

Time For Sandals has already shown a liking for course and distance, having been runner-up to Celandine in the 2024 Group 2 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes.

Eustace added: “A fast six on a track like that hopefully plays to her strengths. Raceday conditions, if we could get quick ground, it would be ideal.”

Last week the Sands Of Mali filly worked for the first time since her Newmarket outing. Eustace plans to give her another routine piece of faster work this Saturday.

He said: “Once she is there, less is more with her. Everything we have seen is very positive. As long as we come through smoothly on Saturday, we are all roads to York next week.”

At today’s six-day entry point, a total of 17 horses remain in the Go Local Stores Minster Stakes.

The three-day Dante Festival runs from Wednesday and the opening race is the 1.45pm British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes.

SEA THE STORM SET FOR TATTERSALLS MUSIDORA STAKES

YORK SPECIALIST ELMONJED HOLDS ENTRY FOR GO LOCAL STORES MINSTER STAKES

Newmarket-based trainer William Haggas plans to head to his beloved York Racecourse on Wednesday for the opening card of the prestigious Dante Festival.

The proud Yorkshireman ended up Champion Trainer on the Knavesmire for 2025, when he just pipped Andrew Balding for the title. Haggas also finished top of that pile in 2017 and heads into the Blue Frog bedding backed contest with enthusiasm once again.

He said: “The fact we happened to be leading trainer last year was a bonus for us – it was great. I love going racing at York; all my staff do, all my owners do.”

The Dante Festival looks set to be a busy three days for Haggas’ team. On the first day, he intends to send Sea The Storm for the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes.

The Sea The Stars filly, who joined his Somerville Lodge string for the 2026 season, notched up a second career success last month when scoring by a neck at Wetherby.

An extended mile-and-a-quarter assignment at York is the next step as connections seek to establish which races she may contest later in the season.

Haggas confirmed: “We’re going to run Sea The Storm. She won a novice race with a penalty at Wetherby, wasn’t very impressive but she has some good form.

“She won a maiden five lengths for David Menuisier and then went to Germany and was second in a Group race.

“So, she’s perfectly entitled. She’s had a run, stays nicely – I think that’s a good fit for her.

“She’s entered everywhere. She’s in the French Oaks as well, so we’ve got lots of ideas for her.”

On the same card Haggas could also be represented in the Go Local Stores Minster Stakes. He has three-time York winner, Elmonjed , entered in the record value Group 2 sprint, now worth £165,000.

Haggas said: “Elmonjed will run if the ground is quick. He’s good at York, but not good enough to win a race like that. But he does run the track very well and sometimes that can be a favourable thing.”

The three-day Dante Festival begins on Wednesday and the action will get underway with the 1.45pm British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes.