Japan and Too Darn Hot face off in Dante Japan will clash with Too Darn Hot in what promises to be a high-class renewal of the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York. Aidan O’Brien has dominated the Derby trials so far this spring and sends Japan into battle in the latest of them. The Galileo colt makes his first competitive start since touching off stablemate Mount Everest in the Beresford Stakes at Naas in September. John Gosden’s Too Darn Hot was the undoubted star of the juvenile division last season, winning each of his four starts, including the Dewhurst at Newmarket. He spent the winter as red-hot favourite for the 2000 Guineas, but was ruled out of an intended trial run in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury and ultimately missed the first colts’ Classic of the season. There is still a chance the Dubawi colt could bid for Classic glory, however, with Gosden hoping to discover in Thursday’s 10-furlong Group Two whether his speedy Dubawi colt could step up to a mile and a half at Epsom. The Clarehaven handler also runs outsider Turgenev. Godolphin hopes rest on the Charlie Appleby-trained Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf victor Line Of Duty. Roger Varian saddles the 14-length Newcastle winner Surfman, while Hughie Morrison is represented by the impressive Windsor scorer Telecaster. Almania (Sir Michael Stoute) and Nayef Road (Mark Johnston) complete the quality field.
