The Group Two contest, Totesport Dante Stakes which is scheduled for Thursday at York, is considered to be one of the most informative trials for horses for the Epsom Classic. This is proven with past winners like North Light of 2004, Motivator of 2005 and Authorized of 2007 all now moving on to Derby glory.

This time, a sextet has been declared for the race, which includes two unbeaten colts, Cape Blanco whose trainer is Aidan O’Brien and Workforce who comes from Sir Michael Stoute’s stable.

The other members of this quality sextet include Godolphin owned Chabal, Coordinated Cut whose trainer is Michael Bell, Paul Cole’s Circumvent and the David Elsworth trained Fair Trade.

Final verdict?

In the meantime, I have to say that the case of Peter Brown, the man who has been accused of killing two young jockeys by setting their block of flats on fire, is still not closed as he has declined to give any evidence at his trial.

His lawyer, Paul Watson QC declared to the jury that his client would not take to the witness box and that he denied all allegations made against him. This was declared after prosecutors informed the six men and six women jury that father-of-one Brown had started the fire by lighting rubbish in the entrance of the Buckrose Court block of flats.

He was actually the former caretaker of the complex and lived in one of the blocks. It was an act of revenge in a drunken state for being refused entry to a party in one of the flats that lead to Brown starting the fire.

While most occupants of the other flats managed to jump for their lives and climb down drainpipes, Kyne and Wilson remained trapped in a top floor flat and died of smoke inhalation.