Derby dreams on either side of the English Channel remain alive for the first three horses home in the Dante Stakes at York in which The Grey Gatsby beat off Arod and True Story in a pulsating finish.
The Grey Gatsby, trained by Kevin Ryan, stepped up to a mile-and-a-quarter (2000m) for the first time and Ryan Moore settled the 9-1 chance midfield.
Kieren Fallon guided 8-13 favourite True Story towards the front of the pack passing the one-furlong (200m) marker but the The Grey Gatsby quickened best, and although his waywardness close home led to a stewards’ inquiry, he was three-quarters of a length in front of Arod on the post.
The placings remained unaltered but Moore was given a two-day suspension for careless riding.
True Story was the same distance away third.
The Grey Gatsby does not hold an entry at Epsom and Ryan has no intention of supplementing him, with the French Derby at Chantilly his Classic target.
“We always thought a lot of the horse and he ran very well in the Guineas,” Ryan said.
“He was always a work in progress and at the back of my mind I thought we had to go and try him over further and the key to it was how well he switched off.”
Trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam has saddled two previous winners of the Epsom Derby – Dr Devious (1992) and Authorized (2007) – and Arod is now destined for the Classic.
“Faster ground will suit him,” he said.
“Whether he’s good enough to win the Derby, we’ll find out on the day.
Trainer Saeed bin Suroor will press ahead to the Derby with True Story.
“Kieren said the ground was not perfect for him and that he would be better on good to fast ground,” he said.
“He also said he will be better over a mile and a half, which he will get at Epsom.”
