DANTE LIGHTS UP THE NORTH

Andy Newton shares the facts and figures in betting guide to York feast

- Andy Newton

Hot on the heels of the Chester May Meeting at the start of the month is the three-day York Dante Festival - which will provide yet more clues ahead of some of the English Classics. Most notably the Epsom Derby, with the Dante Stakes often pitched as one of the best trials for the Epsom Classic - backed up with eleven horses doing the double over the years.

As well as the Dante Stakes, which is staged on the middle day (Thursday) of the meeting - the festival sees a total of five Group races and a stack of competitive handicaps.

When Is The York Dante Festival 2026?

Wednesday May 13: Tattersalls Musidora Stakes

Thursday May 14: Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Dante Stakes

Friday May 15: Boodles Yorkshire Cup

Dante Festival Day One (Weds May 13, 2026)

The opening day of the Dante Festival will be spearheaded by two Group 2 Duke Of Clipper Stakes and Group 3 Musidora Stakes, with the later often a fair guide towards the Epsom Oaks each season.

The middle-distance fillies' race has seen two winners since 2021 (Snowfall and Soul Sister) go onto win the Oaks the following month.

The Musidora is also a race trainer John Gosden loves to target - he's won the race eight times and needs just one more to equal the record haul of Sir Henry Cecil (9).

While, slightly surprisingly, Aidan O'Brien has won the race just twice - but these have come since 2021 including last year with the Ryan Moore-ridden Whirl, who went on to be a neck runner-up in the Epsom Oaks.