Charlie Appleby is hoping to see suitable ease in the ground at York for leading Betfred Derby candidate Ancient Wisdom, who is set to make his return to action in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes on Thursday.

The Futurity Trophy winner heads seven colts declared for the invariably-informative Derby trial, but that Doncaster Group 1 success came on heavy ground and his Autumn Stakes win at Newmarket before that was on soft.