Dante Stakes at York: Too Darn Hot beaten by Telecaster

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Jockey Frankie Dettori, rider of Too Darn HotImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Jockey Frankie Dettori had not tasted defeat aboard Too Darn Hot before Thursday's Dante Stakes defeat

Too Darn Hot has been ruled out of the Derby at Epsom on 1 June after being beaten by 7-1 shot Telecaster in the Dante Stakes at York.

The evens favourite, ridden by Frankie Dettori, tired in the final furlong and will now be aimed at the shorter St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, said trainer John Gosden.

Telecaster's trainer Hughie Morrison must now decide whether the son of 2011 Derby winner New Approach will be added as a supplementary entry to the Derby at a cost of £85,000.

Winning jockey Oisin Murphy said Telecaster's chance in the Derby in 16 days' time would depend on how he recovered from his York exertions.

"We were here for a trial today to find out if we went for the Derby or the St James's Palace, and we'll run in the St James's Palace," Gosden said.

"If you are going to a Derby, you can't go playing around - I wanted to come for a proper trial and we've had one."

Murphy said Too Darn Hot, who had been favourite for the Derby until recently, had last season been the best two-year-old racehorse since the legendary Frankel.

Gosden said it was clear the 10 furlongs in the Dante had stretched his horse's stamina, while Murphy believes Telecaster will handle the 12 furlongs of the Derby.

The York victory, and the potential of a leading Derby contender, seals the recovery of trainer Morrison who faced a British Horseracing Authority investigation in 2017.

Morrison was fined the minimum £1,000 and found not to blame after Our Little Sister tested positive for an anabolic steroid.

Analysis

BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght

Just maybe, as racing obsesses about which one of the battalions of Aidan O'Brien-trained possibles is going to win the Derby, the sport is barking up the wrong tree.

Judged by the stylish manner in which Telecaster, having only his third start, saw off Too Darn Hot, perhaps we should be looking harder at him and the colt Bangkok which beat him in a maiden race at Doncaster in March en route to Sandown Classic Trial success.

I hope he runs, despite the requirement of an £85,000 late entry fee after his original entry was cancelled in the spring because he hadn't run at that stage.

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