THE Lion In Winter is due to make his long-awaited seasonal debut in the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York next Thursday.

Winner of both his two-year-old starts, the son of Sea The Stars missed the end of last season due to minor setbacks and did not come to hand quickly enough this spring to run in the 2000 Guineas.

However, his form received a boost when Ruling Court won the 2000 Guineas, as he defeated that colt in the Acomb Stakes at York last August.

The Lion In Winter is the 11/8 favourite for the Dante, a race his trainer Aidan O’Brien has won four times previously, though none of those four winners went on to win the Derby.

Godolphin has supplemented the undefeated Alpine Trail for the Dante. The Dubawi colt was unraced at two. He made a winning debut at Wolverhampton in February, followed up in a novice event at Yarmouth in April, and last Friday he won a listed race over 10 furlongs at Newmarket.

Amo Racing will be represented in the Dante by Tuscan Hills, winner of both his starts to-date for trainer Raphael Freire.

The Night Of Thunder colt won both his starts at two, including a listed event at Pontefract.

Freire said: “We know he is a lot more effective on slower ground but it doesn’t look like we will be getting that anytime soon, so we are going to take our chance and see how he does on quicker ground.”

Wimbledon Hawkeye, who finished fifth in the 2000 Guineas, has also been left in the Dante, despite connections previously stating they are likely to head straight to the Derby.

John and Thady Gosden have given themselves the option of running Sandown Classic Trial third Damysus, Feilden Stakes third Nightwalker and the Godolphin-owned Devil’s Advocate, with Ralph Beckett another with multiple entries, Pride of Arras and Newmarket winner Seacruiser both possible runners.

Andrew Balding’s Royal Playwright and Ed Walker’s Mr Rizz complete the 14 contenders.

In the supporting Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes it is Balding’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe favourite Kalpana that tops the 12 confirmations as she bids to follow the ‘Bluestocking route’ to ParisLongchamp.

Charlie Appleby has supplemented Godolphin’s Beautiful Love for this Group 2 event, following her third place in the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket.

The three-day Dante meeting starts on Wednesday when the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes is the feature race.

Even though Aidan O’Brien has two entries (Ecstatic and Whirl) for this traditional Oaks trial, Ryan Moore has been jocked up to ride Serenity Prayer for trainer Andrew Balding. Bred and owned by Westerberg, Serenity Prayer is a Dubawi filly who made a winning debut at Newbury over 10 furlongs on April 11th. She is not currently entered in the Oaks.