3.45 York: Group 2 Dante Stakes, 1m 2.5f

Charlie Appleby is hitting some form of late as his big guns fire, so that adds weight to the fact that Ancient Wisdom has been backed to likely go off a short enough price in a hot Dante Stakes this afternoon.

We haven’t seen the impressive winner of the Futurity Stakes this year yet, that means some questions have to be asked about his fitness. But of course, if he could transfer his juvenile form to this year, he’d be an exciting horse to follow.

Ancient Wisdom’s Autumn Stakes win was the best any of seven going to post today had achieved on speed ratings. Saying that, different ground, and different trip today – let’s see whether he can run to that level of form today. I’m prepared, as so often, to oppose a short priced favourite.

Caviar Hights looks also a highly promising colt, and rates a pretty fair price, indeed. He achieved a superb 104 speed rating in the Listed Newmarket Stakes a fortnight ago.

Given he seemed to have no issues with the trip or the ground, he’s a prime chance today, if he could repeat that performance, which screamed Group 1 class.

Today is a tougher contest, though. And a different track. Those are the only two – albeit small – question marks I’d have.

Once again, though, I’ll have to go with God’s Window today. I’m prepared to forgive his most recent desperately disappointing showing at Chester.

He completely missed the break and it was basically race over there and then. God’s Window has a bit of history in that regard. That’s a clear and obvious question mark.

On the other hand, I remain convinced that’s a colt with serious talent. And the Gosden’s must think so too, otherwise they wouldn’d send him here after the recent disappointment.

To be honest, I can practically copy and paste my thoughts from prior to the Dee Stakes today – they apply 100% once more: the question about the ground has to be brought up again: does he need juice in the ground to be seen to best effect?

What speaks against that notion: his half-sister as well as his dam all won and did well on fast ground, in fact. His action doesn’t imply to my untrained eye that’s he “soft ground slogger”.

However, God’s Widow will absolutely love the step up in trip after having raced over about a mile in all his three career runs prior to Chester.

He achieved a fine 77 speed rating on debut, and showed a likable turn of foot that day at Doncaster despite not being advantaged by how the race developed early on, travelling without cover the first 1.5 furlongs, and coming from off the pace in a slowly run race.

Subsequently deemed good enough to contest a deep Futurity Stakes, where he missed the break and was quite keen in the early part of the race. Despite being poorly positioned the colt finished in impressive style for third place.

I was delighted with his seasonal reappearance at Nottingham last month. He didn’t beat much, and this was more like a public racecourse gallop for this son of Dubawi.

The positives were clear and obvious, though: he kicked clear easily, posting good sections in soft ground, without having been properly asked. There must be a huge engine under the hood.

The dam was an Oaks Trial winner. The dam sire a King George winner. Dad is no one less than Dubawi. The step up to the 1m 2.5f trip should suit. Hopefully today he doesn’t lose the race at the start, so we get a proper answer to the question how good God’s Window really is.

10pts win – God’s Window @ 15/1