Derby hope High Definition's Dante date dependent on blood test results
Leading Cazoo Derby contender High Definition worked at Ballydoyle on Monday morning and is an intended runner in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York on Thursday – provided his blood test results are satisfactory.
The unbeaten Aidan O’Brien-trained Beresford Stakes winner was scheduled to make his seasonal reappearance in the Lingfield Derby Trial, but was ruled out after showing high levels of Serum Amyloid A (SAA) in a blood test last week, considered a sign of inflammation or infection.
However, nothing came to light and, speaking to the Racing Post on Monday, O'Brien said: "We're happy with what he did this morning so the plan is for him to be declared. His bloods were done this morning and we won't get the results back until the evening.
"If his bloods are okay, then the plan is for him to be declared and it'll be done again in the morning. If that's okay then he'll be going."
O'Brien has not yet finalised his runners for the Group 2, which was won by 2015 Derby winner Golden Horn, but the trainer could call on the likes of Van Gogh, Lamorak, Wordsworth and Hector De Maris.
High Definition was priced between 5-2 and 3-1 for the Derby before drifting out to 7-1 after missing his engagement at Lingfield. The ante-post picture settled down after recent trials and he is priced between 4-1 and 6-1 after Bolshoi Ballet became the 7-4 favourite.
The going at York was described as good, good to soft in places on Monday afternoon and William Derby, the track's chief executive and clerk of the course, said: "It was a dry, cold April with just 4mm of rain but we had 32mm in the first week of this month.
"We wanted the rain and it's warmed up. The forecast is for sunshine and showers – some heavy, some localised. The ground is on the easy side of good with breezy, sunny conditions right now."
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