Horse racing: Bonfire hot to trot in Derby

Andrew Balding’s Bonfire emerged as the most serious threat to Investec Derby favourite Camelot with an impressive comeback performance in the Betfred Dante Stakes at York.

The son of Manduro could hardly have promised more in his two starts as a juvenile, looking a class act on his racecourse debut at Salisbury before finishing a luckless third in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. His seasonal return had been shifted to Britain’s most high-profile Epsom trial from last week’s Dee Stakes at Chester due to the rain-softened ground on the Roodee and it proved a wise decision.

The colt showed slight signs of waywardness before the off, but he was as good as gold once the gates opened and travelled supremely well in the hands of Jimmy Fortune. Bonfire quickened past the well-supported Ballydoyle-based favourite Ernest Hemingway most readily and it was recent Newbury winner Ektihaam who moved stylishly out of the pack to throw down a challenge.

The two of them fought out a crowd-pleasing finish heading inside the final furlong, but Bonfire was on top close home, officially scoring by three-quarters of a length.

Balding’s ace is now 5-1 from 10-1 for Epsom with Boylesports, with the unbeaten 2000 Guineas winner Camelot a shade of odds-on at 4-5.

In a twist of fate, the two leading Derby contenders were raised in the same paddock at Highclere Stud. The trainer now hopes his charge recovers in time for Epsom with the premier Classic this year only a little over a fortnight away.

Balding said: “It was very good. I was getting a bit uncomfortable with all the hype because he’s not a brilliant work horse and he’s done it in flashes this spring, so it was a relief to get him out. He behaved like a professional most of the time and he did it very well in the race. Jimmy was very impressed. It was a truly run race and a proper trial.”

Earlier, trainer John Gosden and jockey William Buick followed a first-day double with the success of Izzi Top in the Betfred Middleton Stakes at York.

Having finished third in the Oaks last term, hopes were high she would progress and all the evidence so far suggests she has improved a good deal.

The 7-2 favourite was always travelling kindly in the hands of Buick a couple of lengths behind the leader Mohedian Lady before hitting the front.

She had to be ridden out to hold off Godolphin’s Sajjhaa by a length and a half.

Meanwhile, a bumper crowd will head to Hamilton Park tonight for the track’s William Hill Braveheart Night “Super Six” fixture which boasts a total prize pot of £71,000.

The highlight of the card is the £40,000 William Hill Braveheart Listed Stakes and all seven runners add quality and intrigue to the event. The line up includes 2010 winner Hillview Boy (Jim Goldie), and two runners from Mark Johnston’s yard including the top weight Gulf of Naples.