DANTE ROUTE NOW FOR DERBY FAVOURITE

AIDAN O’BRIEN is hoping to run High Definition in the Dante Stakes at York next Thursday after unsatisfactory blood tests prompted his withdrawal from tomorrow’s Lingfield Derby Trial. The unbeaten colt, who was ante-post favourite for next month’s Cazoo Derby throughout the winter, has been eased in the betting by bookmakers and O’Brien has few other prep-race options. O’Brien said High Definition’s blood tests were more encouraging yesterday. He added: ‘If we are in a good place on Monday we could look at running in the Dante. You couldn’t go to the Derby without a run.’ The Derby odds of El Drama were more than halved to 25-1 after his length defeat of Maximal in the Dee Stakes at Chester. Trainer Roger Varian said his more likely destination is the French Derby which is run, like the Dee, over ten furlongs. Varian, who said the original aim had been to try to get El Drama a run in the 2,000 Guineas, said: ‘We are delighted to see him do what we always thought he was capable of.’ O’Brien’s Japan, winless during 2020, got his head back in front with a three-quarter length defeat of Trueshan in the Ormonde Stakes. O’Brien hopes the win will be a confidence booster ahead of a shot at the Coronation Cup at Epsom next month.