11:24am Friday 18th May 2012
By Aimee Howarth
ALL eyes are on the £140,000 Group 2 Sportingbet Yorkshire Cup as York Racecourse's Dante Festival reaches a climax this afternoon.
Part of the British Champions Series, the one mile six furlong race is the first major stayers’ contest of the season and tests the stamina of even the most successful horses.
On the shortlist is Red Cadeaux, who has proved his consistency over the last year with notable results in the Melbourne Cup and at Kempton.
But half of the horses have only raced once so far this year and this race will be a springboard for the stayers' season ahead, which includes the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
Also in the field is Times Up, whose trainer John Dunlop has won this race twice in the past and will be hoping to add to that tally.
Be Fabulous, ridden by Frankie Dettori and representing Godolphin, is expected to launch a stiff challenge as the charismatic Italian looks to better his second place finish on Sajjhaa in Thursday’s Betfred Middleton Stakes.
And William Buick will pilot Arctic Cosmos for John Gosden, who claimed his third win of the Dante Festival yesterday when Izzi Top pipped Sajjhaa to victory.
Last year's winner Duncan was also trained by Gosden.
Other races throughout the day include The Sportingbet Jorvik Stakes, with Caucus as favourite, and The EquinITy Powered By Garmin Fillies Stakes, when William Buick is fancied to ride Laugh Out Loud to victory.
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