Race One: The Clipper EBF Marygate Fillies' Stakes - Listed Race - 5 furlongs - 9 runners

Winner: GOT TO LOVE A GREY (#6) - S. James - K. Burke - Dark Angel x Regatta
This listed race is an early and valuable opportunity for some black type for owners and a future broodmare career. The field was filled with speedy juveniles who are precocious enough to compete in this first pattern class race for two-year-olds. 
The very impressive debut winner Persian Dreamer looked destined for bigger things and her owners Amo Racing already have an eye on Royal Ascot with their daughter of Calyx. There was only a handful of other winning form on show with Got To Love A Grey and fellow Amo Racing-owned Treasure Storm being already tasting success. The likes of Dorothy Lawrence, Bellarchi and Tierney all showed promise on their first day at school.
The race would go the way of Middleham Park Racing's Got To Love A Grey, who looks to be another furiously fast filly to carry the light blue silks, following the exploits of The Platinum Queen last year. Sharply out of the gates, the Karl Burke speedster made all the running as the field blazed across the quick ground. Entering the final furlong, there were still plenty of chances despite showings of inexperience in some. Got To Love A Grey kept up her gallop and maintained her lead, keeping her rivals at arm's length throughout the race. Dorothy Lawrence would finish second once again while Gaiden finished best of all from the rear to claim third. Hot favourite Persian Dreamer suffered minor interference after the start, but could only settle for fourth in the end. 
The winner was an impressive six length winner on debut and stepped up again here. The daughter of Dark Angel looks set for Royal Ascot and will be one of the leading British hopes in either the Queen Mary Stakes or Albany Stakes. 

Race Two: The Oaks Farm Stables Fillies' Stakes - Listed Race - 1 mile - 8 runners
Winner: SOUNDS OF HEAVEN (#8) - R. Whelan - J. Harrington - Kingman x Ring The Bell.
A useful fillies' event over a mile which has seen an improvement of winners in recent years. Often seen as a trial for the Sandringham Handicap or the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, the race was won last year by Fonteyn, who would later go on to win the group one Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket in October. 
This year's renewal saw some potential runners in future group ones later in the year such as the well bred and highly regard Queen For You. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the daughter of group one winner Fallen For You, the filly won a conditions race on debut at Ascot impressively to back up her reputation. Fellow once raced and once winner filly Silver Lady is equally as well bred as a daughter of Cheveley Park Stakes winner Lumiere, she races for Charlie Appleby and the Godolphin operation. 
In a high quality contest, there was an exciting finish with the first three fillies seperated by half a length. The surprise winner would be Sounds Of Heaven for leading Irish jumps trainer Jessica Harrington. Making her seasonal reappearance, the daughter of Kingman dented some lofty reputations whilst picking up a nice prize in the process. Tracking the early pace, Ronan Whelan's mount kept to a straight and true as the runner up Queen For You still looked green by hanging to her left. The momentum lost with her waywardness cost Queen For You as she lost out to Sounds Of Heaven by a short head. The winner showed a nice attitude and should be a likeable horse to follow for the rest of the season. Another fine achievement for the dual purpose stable of Jessica Harrington. 

Race Three: The Knights Solicitors Handicap - Class Two - 1 mile, 2 furlongs - 13 runners
Winner: MARHABA THE CHAMP (#9) - W. Buick - K. Ryan - Galileo x Lady Of The Desert
In a quality handicap raced over the same ten furlong distance as the John Smith's Cup, this race could have a say in producing the winner in June. A typically classy and competitive contest, there was a tasty mix of lightly raced improvers and battle hardened regulars at this level. 
The eye was drawn to the unexposed Nobel, running in the colours of Qatar Racing which were synonymous with the great Roaring Lion. Winner of his first two starts, the son of Lope de Vega would finish only eighth in listed company on latest start, but he has the potential to improve further with experience. Former course winner Spirit Dancer returned to the Knavesmire along with the long absent Aramaic, Cambridgeshire Handicap winner Majestic and the quirky Diderot. 
The stable of Kevin Ryan have enjoyed a great week so far and landed their third winner of the meeting, courtesy of the lightly raced Marhaba The Champ. Owned by long term owner Jaber Abdullah, the colt is beautifully bred as a son of the legendary Galileo and of the former Lowther winner Lady Of The Desert. Racing in midfield as Marie's Diamond cut out the early running, the blue and white silks were easily spotted moving through the field. With a smart turn of pace, the four year old ran down Marie's Diamond to win by a neck, going away at the finish. A potenitially high class handicapper this year, the John Smith's Cup looks an ideal target. The brave runner up Marie's Diamond held off Spirit Dancer and Majestic in the placings as many from the back flashed home at the finish. 

Race Four: The Boodles Yorkshire Cup - Group Two - 1 mile, 6 furlongs - 6 runners
Winner: GIAVELLOTTO (#4) - A. Atzeni - M. Botti - Mastercraftsman x Genka
There was a certain strangeness of a Yorkshire Cup being run without the presence of Stradivarius. The John Gosden-trained superstar stayer used this race as a seasonal reappearance four times in his career and was unbeaten at York after six starts on the Knavesmire. Now retired, there is a large hole needed to be filled and the task of replacing the three time Gold Cup winner was on. 
This year's running saw a small field, but it was a high class renewal. Last year's St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov was the star name for trainer Roger Varian. He was a revelation last year, improving rapidly from a Newcastle maiden to a Royal Ascot win and winner of the final Classic of the year. He faced stiff opposition from the Aidan O'Brien stable which was represented  the evergreen Broome. A popular figure on the track, he has found a new level of form at the age of seven. Often a high class horse at a mile and four furlongs, he has been on the go for longer than the usual racing stallion. Winning the Dubai Gold Cup on his first try at two miles has opened new options for the son of Australia and it is great to see him still delivering at a high level. Broome's rival from Dubai, Siskany also made his return to the track in a mouthwatering clash of stayers. 
In a reversal of previous form, the St Leger runner-up Giavellotto announced himself on the staying scene with a smooth victory, despite a lengthy wait for a steward's enquiry. As expected, Quickthorn led the field in the early stages, taking a wide route down the back straight while the rest followed in Indian file. Approaching the final stages, the drama unfolded. As the horses made their challenges, they started to drift in different directions with Giavellotto going left and Eldar Eldarov going right. There was slight interference and Broome also suffered from the bumping and barging. Broome gave in to the younger legs of the first two and it was the Italian connection with Giavellotto for trainer Marco Botti and jockey Andrea Atzeni who took the trophy home. A highly respectable comeback for Eldar Eldarov and the Gold Cup picture at Ascot looks to have gained new contenders. 

Race Five: The Darley Novice Stakes - Class Two - 7 furlongs - 6 runners

Winner: MOSTABSHIR (#1) - W. Buick - J & T. Gosden - Dark Angel x Handassa
A brand new race for York and it held an interesting look to it with plenty of unknowns and lightly raced types. Exclusive for horses aged three and older, it is a nice stop gap between maidens and group level races and an opportunity for connections to get a better grasp of their horse's ability. Despite being a £12,000 race, the field was small on size, but was won in the style of a high class colt for the future. 
There was just the one previous winner in the field, but a very classy one at that. The dark grey colt Mostabshir was dropping down in grade in search of a confidence booster. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the grey is related to the likes of Nazeef, a group one winner and Mostahdaf, a group three winner; both from the Shadwell breeding operation. From the batch on maidens, Kathab looks to be a winner in waiting after his runner up berth in the Wood Ditton Maiden behind Dante Stakes runner Passenger. Also owned by Shadwell, the gelding chased the impressive winner in vain but came clear of the rest himself.
The outcome would one way traffic in the end as Mostabshir cruised to an easy win and took his career to two wins from three starts. Making all the running, it seemed like a routine canter exercise as rider William Buick gained another win at the meeting. Five lengths behind came the Gosden stablemate Ziryab, a nicely bred type for Juddmonte, and back in third would be Kathab. The winner himself was highly regarded and won impressively last winter on Kempton's all weather track. He was hinted as a dark horse in the 2,000 Guineas, but would only manage fifth in his trial race, the Craven Stakes. Confidence is key in racing and this opportunity to get the winning feeling back into the horse could prove beneficial. A similarly patient method has worked for leading miler Mutasaabeq in the same colours. 

Race Six: The Yorkshire Equine Practice Handicap - Class Four - 7 furlongs - 20 runners
Winner: ELIGIBLE (#19) - C. Beasley - M & D. Easterby - Dark Angel x Secrets Away
A typically fast and furious handicap, this time over seven furlongs which will require a clean run and plenty of luck in running.  The stable of Mark Walford has been firing in the winners under both codes and his runner It Just Takes Time headed the weights. The former course winner is getting closer to becoming "Yorkshire's Wonder Horse" by winning at every Yorkshire racecourse within eighteen months. With a full field of twenty runners, the battle to get a prominent position would be fierce in the early stages. It Just Takes Time cut out the running early on with plenty in behind looking for breathing space. As the field fanned out across the home straight, there was plenty in with a shout. From the tail of the field, Eligible had been guided through the smallest of gaps by jockey Connor Beasley and soon found himself nosing ahead. Titan Rock went with him as the two battled it out close home, but Eligible held on to win by a neck. Another Investment was another held up to fill the placings in third and valiant leader It Just Takes Time was rewarded with fourth. 
It would be a popular winner for Yorkshire as trainer Mick Easterby was responsible for another York winner. Now in a dual license with son David, the Easterby's are a colourful family name in the region and Mick himself is a legend in this area.

Race Seven: The Champions Festival Handicap - Class Three - 5 furlongs - 18 runners 
Winner:  KUWAIT CITY (#16) - J. Crowley - J. Butler - Pearl Secret x Ahaaly

The final race of the Dante Festival came courtesy of a five furlong dash for three-year-olds. The race is often the source of a progressive sprinter and was won last year by the subsequently listed race placed Korker. Further back in time, Group One winner G Force landed this race in 2014 and twelve months earlier, Moviesta won here before becoming a mainstay in Group races.
This year's crop were well represented and there were plenty of sprinters who had previously dipped their toes in pattern class races. The likes of Redemption Time and Star Of Lady M were far from disgraced at a higher level and they were joined by some very promising types from the all-weather. Rhythm N Hooves, It's Centimental, Rose King and Just A Spark were all in progressive, winning form but they needed to prove themselves equally as good on the turf as they made their debuts on the alien surface. 
In a blanket finish of decent priced runners, it would be the outsider Kuwait City who sprung a surpise in the finale. The pace was always going to be frenetic and in the early stages, Jim Crowley was happy to watch from afar as Kuwait City was last at half way. As the pace began to collapse in the closing stages, the action came from the center of the track with Kuwait City and Redemption Time finishing fast and hard. It would be the John Butler-trained gelding who landed the handicap and another winner for owner Abdullateef Al Zeer after winning a race at the Ebor Festival last year. The flashy chestnut son of Pearl Secret may not have looked progressive before, but he has proven his liking for a big field handicap like this.