Episode Set For Dante Test

Godolphin are hoping for a 'top run' from Palace Episode in the totesport Dante Stakes at York next Thursday ahead of a possible tilt at the Vodafone Derby.

The son of Machiavellian was bought out of Kevin Ryan's yard after he won the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster last October and has recently been pleasing connections in his homework.

The last two winners of the Dante, North Light and Motivator, both went on to win the Derby.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: 'We are aiming Palace Episode at the Dante and in the last month he has really been coming to hand very well.

'We are very pleased with him. He's put in a couple of nice bits of work and he'll be straight enough next week and we'd be hopeful of a top run from him.

'In order for him to line-up at Epsom he's got to run a good race next week. But we are hopeful on his two-year-old form.

'He won on very soft ground at Doncaster when it was a very resolute performance.

'He's got form on all types of ground and he's a very honest colt, who tries his hardest.

'He's giving us the impression he's trained on. He hasn't really changed much physically since last year, he hasn't grown, he was quite set as a two-year-old and his form was good enough for us to aim him at races of this quality.

'The Dante has always been recognised as the top Derby trial, along with the Guineas, and we've been lucky in the race before.'

Arch rivals Coolmore are set to take on Palace Episode with Septimus, who was three lengths back in third in the Racing Post Trophy.

On his reappearance Aidan O'Brien's colt finished seventh, beaten less than two lengths by the winner Barastraight, in the Prix La Force at Longchamp last month, a run which satisfied the master of Ballydoyle.

He said: 'The plan at the moment is to run Septimus.

'Our horses are improving a lot with a run. He had a run in France where he ran a lovely race, which came at a time when our horses were very ring rusty.

'We were very happy with him and so was Kieren (Fallon), who thought York would suit him, so the plan at the moment is to go straight to the Dante.'

? PA Sport