Libertarian produces Dante upset

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Middleham-based couple Elaine and Karl Burke became the first trainers from the county to win the Knavesmire's important Classic trial since Snowy Gray's Ballymarais back in 1962.

While Libertarian did not make much of an impact in the Investec Derby market, the man allowed to smile widely was Jim Bolger, who saddled Trading Leather for second but now sees his unbeaten 2000 Guineas winner Dawn Approach as short as even-money favourite with many bookmakers.

Libertarian has always been held in high regard and showed rich promise when landing a maiden on his debut at Pontefract last month, but he would have been largely ignored due to finishing only fourth in the Sandown Classic Trial, when admittedly unlucky.

Dashing Star cut out the running with Trading Leather on his tail but the race, which has seen nine winners progress to Epsom glory, was still to develop in earnest by the two-furlong pole.

With Aidan O'Brien pocketing every Derby warm-up of the last fortnight, Indian Chief was the 11/4 favourite, but the trainer's son Joseph did not receive an immediate response when he had found some space and was passed by Libertarian and William Buick on his inside.

Buick had been one of the first to start pushing but his mount ended up forging a length and a quarter clear of the plucky Trading Leather, with Indian Chief three-quarters of a length further back in third.

"It is a great win for the yard and everyone connected with the horse," said Karl Burke.

"I didn't think he should be 33/1 - I did get some 50s on Wednesday!

"He's a proper horse and having not had many (Derby) horses, or Dante horses even, you are tilting at windmills at bit.

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Libertarian produces Dante upset

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