Flying Honours out to prove Derby claims Flying Honours faces 11 rivals at York as he tries to strengthen his Betfred Derby claims in Thursday’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes. Stablemate Military Order heads the Epsom betting following his Lingfield win last week and Flying Honours looked smart when landing the Zetland Stakes stakes on his final juvenile start last year. After a scintillating start to his career, winning on both outings this year, including at Listed level in the Feilden Stakes for James Ferguson, Canberra Legend makes the switch to Group Two company. Sir Michael Stoute won the Dante with Desert Crown, who went on to win the Derby at Epsom. This season, he is relying on Passenger, who won the Wood Ditton on his only start to date. Although the son of Ulysses is not currently entered in the Derby. Epictetus, who represents John and Thady Gosden, already has one Derby trial win in his belt after triumphing in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom last month. Meanwhile, The Foxes, who finished second in the Craven on his reappearance, is switching up in trip for Andrew Balding. Aidan O’Brien is counting on French Group Three winner Continuous, who remains unbeaten in his two starts so far. White Birch, trained by John Murphy, will enhance the Irish challenge, having narrowly won the Ballysax Stakes on his last outing. Charlie Johnston has two horses in the lineup: Dear My Friend, a Listed winner in Newcastle, and the likely outsider Killybegs Warrior. Dancing Magic from Roger Teal's stable, Liberty Lane trained by Karl Burke, and King of Steel, who will make his first start for Roger Varian, complete the list of contenders. Free Wind from the Gosden team is making a long-awaited return to action in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes on the same card. Last season, the five-year-old mare won the Lancashire Oaks on her only start, despite sustaining an injury from being badly hampered. She still managed to clinch the victory. Eight runners go to post with Varian’s Toksana Belle an interesting contender on her British bow having landed last year’s German Oaks when trained by Andreas Wohler.
