Wings Of Desire flies into Derby reckoning

Wings Of Desire masters Deauville late on in the Dante Stakes at York. Image courtesy of Racingfotos.com.

John Gosden described Wings Of Desire as being “freakish” after the inexperienced colt, who made his debut less than a month ago, had thrust himself to the head of Investec Derby market with  victory in the Betfred Dante at York today.

The son of Pivotal, ridden by Frankie Dettori, wore down Deauville in the closing stages to win by a neck. The Group 2 contest is invariably proves a good guide to Epsom and was won last year by QIPCO British Champions Series hero Golden Horn, who then stormed home at Epsom.

The front two pulled clear of Foundation, a stablemate of the winner, who will now head for the French Derby, and Muntazah, who was keen early and then met traffic problems. Midterm, who went into the race as Derby favourite, was well held in fifth and now might not even run in the big one.

Wings Of Desire only made his debut on April 13 and did not open his account until landing a humble contest on the all-weather at Wolverhampton ten days later.

He is not entered in the Derby – Gosden scratched him on March 7 because the horse had done no serious work at that stage – but connections will supplement him for £75,000.

“To do what he did today, having had no education as a two-year-old, is pretty special. He’s freakish,” an animated Gosden said. “His favourite two activities are sleeping and eating and I confess I never did a half-speed [piece of work] with him until March.

“He’s still learning, still very much a baby. The great thing is there is lots of improvement in him.”

Dettori added: “It was only his third day at school and he can only improve. He’s raw but when when I asked him to quicken, he gave it to me.”

Deauville will have another crack at the winner on June 4 and looks like being one of several Derby contenders for Aidan O’Brien.

Earlier, the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Beautiful Romance kept on stoutly to land the Group 2 Betfred Middleton Stakes from Koora, who also kept on well, with Journey, the heavily-backed favourite, weakening into third.

Bookmakers generally cut her to 12-1 for the Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom on June 3 – the fifth race in the QIPCO Champions Series.