Dante Delight for Leyburn trainer Elaine Burke as Libertarian springs York Racecourse shock

5:41pm Thursday 16th May 2013 in Horse racing By Steve Carroll, Sports reporter

LIBERTARIAN became the first Yorkshire trained winner of the Betfred Dante Stakes for nearly 50 years as he sprung a 33-1 surprise in the 150,000 contest at York Racecourse.

Not since Ballymarais, in 1965, trained by Snowy Gray in Beverley, has the county achieved success in the leading trial for the Derby at Epsom but the three-year-old, the charge of Leyburn trainer Elaine Burke, tore up the form book.

Crushing the aspirations of a series of fancied runners, including Middleham colleague Mark Johnstons Windhoek, jockey William Buick pounced with Libertarian up the far rail to beat Trading Leather by a length and a quarter.

The victory was all the more remarkable because the pair had struggled in the opening stages of the mile and a quarter Group 2 contest.

But Libertarian performed when it mattered most and now all roads lead to the Surrey Downs, where the colt will look to become the first northern trained winner of the Derby since Dante, the horse this race was named after, at Newmarket in 1945.

Bookies made him a general 20-1 shot for Classic glory, with New Approach continuing to head the market as a short priced 5-4 favourite.

Burke said: I think the extra two furlongs (at Epsom) will be to his advantage but then hes a baby and, the way the track is, we might have to go up the High Moor at Middleham and go the opposite way round, which is downhill, just to get a bit more experience for him.

I am quite shocked really, I didnt think he was going to get up. You often think you are going to be tailed off last with him but hes so laid back, and doesnt really know what it is all about, until he gets the horses running around him and then off he goes.

Originally posted here:

Dante Delight for Leyburn trainer Elaine Burke as Libertarian springs York Racecourse shock