Border Arrow looks good value at around the 5 to 2 mark to strengthen his Derby credentials by winning the £135,000 Grosvenor Casinos Dante Stakes at York today. Ian Balding's colt clearly has the best credentials, having finished third of 18 to King of Kings in the 2000 Guineas at the beginning of the month. Sent off at 16 to 1, his performance was arguably the most eye-catching in the race. He took a while to get going but then appeared late on the scene and ran on strongly to pip Xaar for third, beaten two lengths by the winner.
That confirmed that the son of Selkirk is on the upgrade, having earlier won two races at Newmarket - a maiden over a mile at two and the Feilden Stakes over a mile and a furlong.
Border Arrow has plenty of stamina in his pedigree and his style of running suggests that the step up to a mile and a quarter will be right up his street. It would be a major surprise if he failed to stay.
On the formbook he has solid claims as several assumptions have to be made to make out a strong case for any of his rivals.
Dr Fong won a Listed race at Newmarket earlier in the month and is open to improvement - but he needs to find plenty of it to match Border Arrow's Guineas form.
Teapot Row showed his potential when winning last season's Royal Lodge Stakes with City Honours a close third. Both have potential but neither have proved themselves on the racecourse this year and backers who support them to do so must be taking a chance at this level.
Evergreen handicapper Star Rage should make a bold bid in the Manchester Handicap over a mile and three quarters. This looks wide-open but Mark Johnston's eight-year-old is in sparkling form, having gamely won an all-weather handicap at Wolverhampton last month. This is probably his ideal trip and he always gives his best.
Those fancying a tilt at an outsider could do worse than side with Sylva Paradise in the £25,000-added Leeds Sprint Handicap. Clive Brittain's five-year-old is currently very well handicapped and while he has had plenty of chances he should come on a lot for his reappearance run when he finished in the ruck in a 29-runner Newmarket sprint.
Brian McMahon must be rubbing his hands with delight at the prospect of running his improving filly Yabint El Sultan in the Listed Middleton Stakes as she looks clearly superior to her rivals. In landing the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket two weeks ago, she showed plenty of resolution under a driving ride and might have more improvement in the locker now that she is sent over this extended 10 furlong trip.
