Entries for feature races confirmed for the Dante Festival at York

The winners of all four Group Two races went on to compete in Group One contests last season, with Rebel’s Romance (Boodles Yorkshire Cup) winning twice at that yet higher level.

With the entries for 2026 confirmed as below, we know who might follow.

The opening day of the Knavesmire season sees the sprinters in the limelight in the Go Local Stores Minster Stakes, a race with both record prize money (£165,000) and a new pattern handle. American Affair was a winner in handicap company during the Dante Festival 2025, with Jim Goldie’s charge then collecting a Group One at Royal Ascot; the Knavesmire is again set for his season opener. Others with both Group One and York winning form could oppose; local hero Art Power offers Tim Easterby a strong start, with Regional another who has won at both York and in the highest company for Yorkshire-based, Ed Bethell. The joy of a new season is that new stars can be born, connections of the Musley Bank-trained Powerful Glory certainly hope so. This latter trio are amongst some ten contenders to be trained in Yorkshire with leading Yorkshire Owners, Bond Thoroughbreds, adding to northern connections courtesy of Marvelman, a victor at the St Leger Festival.

Thursday 14 May sees a pair of famous contests both backed by Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai. For older fillies and mares, the Middleton has often heralded a golden summer. Reigning champion, See The Fire, has only competed in Group One races since that victory so will be hoping for a strong defence. Prominent local opposition should come from Fallen Angel, a five-time Group One heroine for Middleham’s Karl Burke and Wathnan Racing. Add in yet another Group One winner in Kalpana representing Juddmonte and Andrew Balding in potential competition to another darling of Yorkshire racing, Estrange, for David O’Meara and it would be a contest to savour.

With eight dual Dante/Derby winners already in the pedigree book, it is no surprise that the Top 5 in the betting markets for the Epsom Blue Riband are potentials for the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Dante. It is also no surprise that Aidan O’Brien holds sixteen entries, including Italy who placed second in the Tattersalls Acomb of last August. White Rose county contenders number five, amongst them is Karl Burke’s Hankelow who won his maiden at York last June.

Friday means the focus shifts to the staying division. A fascinating Boodles Yorkshire Cup could unfold as entries include a pair of former Sky Bet Ebor winners in Trawlerman & Ethical Diamond, both of whom have since added Group One triumphs. Whilst these two are established stars of the staying division, the winner of the 2025 Epsom Derby, Lambourn, will be hoping he can become a contender in the “Cup” contests for the Coolmore organisation. The same Tipperary team could yet be represented by a pair of Classic victors, as Scandinavia was last seen landing the Betfred St Leger.

The coming weeks will determine who will pick up the mantle of the illustrious winners of the past, we do know it will be richly deserved, whomever takes these titles.

A full list of entries with Owners and Trainers for the four Group 2 races can be found here.

The horses entered as at 31st March 2026 are as below.

The Go Local Stores Minster Stakes, Wednesday 13 May:

Ain't Nobody (IRE), Almeraq, American Affair, Aramram (IRE), Art Power (IRE), Big Mojo (IRE), Completely Random, Cool Hoof Luke, Crestofdistinction, Diligent Harry, Elmonjed (IRE), Fahrenheit Seven, First Instinct, First Legion (IRE), Flora of Bermuda (IRE), James's Delight (IRE), Jasour, Khaadem (IRE), Kind of Blue, Leovanni (IRE), Marvelman (IRE), Mitbaahy (IRE), My Mate Alfie (IRE), Night Raider (IRE), Oxted, Powerful Glory (IRE), Quinault (GER), Regional, Rosy Affair, Sarab Star, Sayidah Dariyan (IRE), Shareholder (USA), Sky Majesty (IRE), Time For Sandals (IRE), Volterra (IRE), Washington Heights

The Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Middleton Stakes, to be run on Thursday 14 May

Alla Stella, Alshera (IRE), Azaniya (IRE), Catalina Delcarpio (IRE), Cathedral, Chantilly Lace (IRE), Cheshire Dancer (IRE), Danielle, Diamond Rain, Estrange (IRE), Fairy Glen (FR), Faiyum, Fallen Angel, Francophone, Friendly Soul, Kalpana, Lava Stream (IRE), Miss Justice, Morrophore (FR), Never Let Go, One Look (IRE), Qilin Queen (IRE), Red Letter, Sand Gazelle, See The Fire, Sky Safari, Sparks Fly, Survie (IRE), That's Amore (IRE), Waardah (IRE)

The Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai DanteStakes, to be run on Thursday 14 May

Accredit, Action (IRE), Al Zanati, Alderman, Alfaraz, Amadeus Mozart (IRE), Ancient Egypt (IRE), Bay of Brilliance, Benvenuto Cellini (IRE), Causeway (IRE), Christmas Day (IRE), Command The Stars (IRE), Commander's Intent (FR), Constitution River (FR), Domenico Contarini (IRE), Endorsement (IRE), Exmoor, Flushing Meadows (USA), Galiyan, Geryon (IRE), Glacius, Glory of The Seas, Golden Knight (IRE), Golden Story (IRE), Gonna Fly (IRE), Guildmaster (IRE), Hankelow (IRE), Hawk Mountain (IRE), Isaac Newton (IRE), Italy, Item, King's Trail, Lighting Thunder, Lyneham (IRE), Maho Bay, Maltese Cross (FR), Montreal (IRE), Morshdi, My Love Is King, New Zealand (IRE), Organise, Pathein (IRE), Pierre Bonnard (IRE), Port of Spain (IRE), Poseidon's Warrior (IRE), Proposition (IRE), Publish, Quartermaster (IRE), Raaheeb (IRE), Ravenspire (IRE), Saxon Street (IRE), Shabab Al Ahli, Shayem (IRE), Spyce, Thesecretadversary (IRE), Wareeth (IRE), Wise Prince (IRE), Yazin

The Boodles Yorkshire Cup, to be run on Friday 15 May

Al Nayyir, Al Qareem (IRE), Amiloc, Caballo de Mar (IRE), Consent (IRE), Deira Mile (IRE), Dubai Future, Epic Poet (IRE), Ethical Diamond (IRE), French Master (IRE), Furthur (IRE), Hamish, Happy Pharoah (IRE), Illinois (IRE), Jan Brueghel (IRE), Kihavah, Lambourn (IRE), Lazy Griff (GER), Lion's Pride, Miss Alpilles, Nightime Dancer (IRE), Rahiebb, Scandinavia (USA), Sober (FR), Sons And Lovers, Subsequent (IRE), Sweet William (IRE), Tabletalk (IRE), Tarriance, Trawlerman (IRE), Waardah (IRE)