Dante Festival 2023: Aussie Sprinter Set to Fly in the Clipper

York Racecourse takes centre stage in the horse racing world next week as the eagerly-anticipated Dante Festival takes place on the Knavesmire.

The meeting runs from May 17-19 and will generate a massive amount of business for on-course bookmakers and online sportsbooks.

Several leading horse racing betting sites have published ante-post markets for the top races and more will follow when the final entries are confirmed.

We’ve scored the entries to come up with three horses we think are well worth watching when the action gets underway on Wednesday.

Australian trainer Troy Corstens is embarking on an ambitious bid to win the 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes on the opening day of the Festival.

The Astrologist will compete in several races in the northern hemisphere over the next few months after finishing runner-up in a Group One sprint at Meydan earlier this year.

Top jockey Ryan Moore recently rode the horse in a pre-race gallop at Newmarket, but will likely be aboard one of Aidan O’Brien’s three entries in the race.

However, The Astrologist is undoubtedly worth monitoring in the betting given the previous successes of Aussie sprinters in the United Kingdom.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Oaks contender Infinite Cosmos is among a top-class list of 16 possible runners in the Musidora Stakes.

The daughter of Sea The Stars is priced at odds of 7/1 with bwin for big race at Epsom after winning a hot maiden at Newmarket on Guineas weekend.

Stoute has won the Oaks trial at York on eight previous occasions, so is unlikely to be tilting at windmills with Infinite Cosmos.

The horse finished behind Sea Of Roses on her debut at Doncaster last October, but should be able to reverse that form over ten furlongs.

The Foxes is on track to follow up his fine second in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket by tackling the Dante Stakes next Thursday.

The Andrew Balding-trained colt ended his two-year-old campaign with a hard-fought victory in the Royal Lodge at the same track last September.

That form has since been boosted, with runner-up Dubai Mile winning a Group 1 in France before running fifth in the 2000 Guineas last weekend.

The extra distance at York should play to The Foxes’ strengths and it would be no surprise to see him run well in the Dante.