Hope of the North

The ‘Hope of the North’ Three-quarters of a century have passed since that together with Princess Elizabeth, joined in celebrations at Newmarket. by JOHN SCANLON glorious day of Dante’s Derby According to Phil Bull, writing in ‘The Best Horses of 1945’, on the day of the race Dante’s “left eye was more or less T was 75 years ago this month that uniquely, and thanks, in part, to the limited Gaekwar’s Pride. Playful in the paddock, closed up”. Drawn 20, on the extreme Dante, the great ‘Hope of the wartime fixture list and regional basis of Dante behaved perfectly in the race, taking right-hand side of the field, Dante was in North’, became the first Derby the racing at the time, Dante became the the lead below the distance and pulling the worst possible position for a horse winner trained in Middleham , only subsequent Derby winner to have clear to win as he liked. It was an without the use of his left eye. At the start, Iindeed in the north, since Pretender in made his first racecourse appearance in the impressive performance, Dante winning Nevett persuaded the jockey on Fordham 1869. first event of the first day of the racing easily by four lengths at odds of 1/10. to switch places, thus allowing Dante at Dante in Middleham in 1945 The win made Saturday June 9, 1945, a season. Facing 18 rivals in the Carlton Jockey Billy Nevett was reported to least one horse he could see to race with. red letter day for Middleham in general, Sweepstakes over five furlongs at Stockton have said: “You could play polo with him. Bull maintains that at a crucial part of soon back in good work. Preparations end of June. Sir Eric Ohlson turned down and in particular for Dante’s owner, Sir on Easter Monday 1944, Dante, who had While I’m talking to him during a race he the race, when Fordham began to drop included asking the colt to give 10lb to a an offer of £125,000 for the colt, who was Eric Ohlson, trainer Matt Peacock and been sent off at odds of 6/4 on, took the seems to know what I’m saying, and away, Nevett hesitated on Dante allowing decent five-year-old stayer, Robin The reported to have worked satisfactorily over jockey Billy Nevett. Horses trained in the lead below the distance before stretching certainly knows what I mean when I say Court Martial to steal a vital lead. Perhaps Second, over one and three-quarter miles. the full Leger trip on August 20. But five north have achieved British Classic success clear of his rivals to score by three lengths. ‘Go on, boy’. He’s the finest horse I’ve hoping that Cliff Richards (Sir Gordon’s His price for the Derby soon shortened to days later, amid rumours that all was not since then, with Mister Baileys and Dante landed three more races at ever ridden.” Bear in mind, Nevett had younger brother) on Court Martial would 9/2. well with the horse, the owner announced Attraction both enjoying Guineas’ wins for Stockton as a juvenile. In June, he travelled already ridden two Derby winners by then. bring his colt over to the rail, Nevett was There were 27 runners in the big race, Dante had been scratched, sparking much the Johnston yard, but no other south to land the Coventry Stakes on The 2,000 Guineas was run at forced to launch a challenge on the leader’s held at Newmarket like its wartime speculation and no little anger about the Middleham-based horse has managed to Newmarket’s July course, and returned Newmarket’s July course on May 9, the right. Closing fast, Dante ran out of room, predecessors. Once again the King and timing of the announcement. land the Blue Riband of racing. there in the autumn to land the Middle day after VE Day was celebrated. Two going down by a neck to Court Martial. Queen were in attendance, together with Much has also been written about the Dante, bred by Friar Ings Stud, now Park Stakes. He topped the Free Handicap, days earlier, it had been announced that Whether or not the eye problem had cost Princess Elizabeth, and the huge crowd eye problem which afflicted the horse and owned by Mark and Deirdre Johnston, was one pound clear of the unbeaten Court Dante had sustained an injury after a piece Dante the race, Bull noted the horse was included many uniformed personnel. Eight hampered his preparation for the 2,000 a memorable winner of the Derby, and his Martial. of grit had got into his eye during a gallop. blowing hard after the race, and trainer of the first 10 horses home in the 2,000 Guineas. Rather than a random piece of achievements on the track were honoured The horse returned to Stockton on the However, the horse remained the hot Matt Peacock confirmed the eye incident Guineas reopposed, while Lord Rosebery’s grit, it appears that the horse suffered from when York established in 1958 the Dante Saturday after Easter for his three-year-old favourite for the race. Given the had resulted in his colt being short of a Midas, winner of the Newmarket Stakes on ‘moon blindness’ or equine recurrent Stakes, now the major Derby trial which debut. Racing over a mile in the Roseberry momentous historical significance of the final gallop. May 23, was a well-fancied runner. uveitis (ERU). That did not stop him, was won by Mark in 2017 with Permian, Stakes on April 7, he was opposed cessation of war in Europe, it was a special Returned to Middleham, Dante received A photograph of the 1945 Derby shows though, going off to Theakston Stud, a few owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin principally by the Maharaja of Baroda’s occasion, and the King and Queen, treatment for his eye condition and was the field spread across the track two miles from Middleham, in 1946 where Mohammed. furlongs from home. The rising ground over the next 10 years he sired the winners was the making of Dante; that, and the fact of 256 races, including winners of the Imported that he challenged towards the centre of the Oaks, 2,000 Guineas and the Eclipse. track, with his rivals all racing on his right. Sadly, the eye disease recurred and Dante’s tale begins in December 1941 Sailing home in splendid isolation, the Dante eventually went blind. He died in when owner Sir Eric Ohlson acquired his ‘Hope of the North’ had won by two 1956, at the comparatively young age of dam, the Dark Legend mare, Rosy Legend, lengths, from Midas, who finished a head 14, at Theakston Stud. for 3,500gns. She had won four races in in front of Court Martial. Let’s leave it to Phil Bull to sum up France, before being brought to Britain by The win was hugely significant. A first Dante’s worth. the shipping magnate, Lord Furness, as a victory for the north and for Middleham in four-year-old. Following her owner’s death the Derby in 76 years sparked great E wrote in 1945: “No doubt in October 1940, Rosy Legend, in foal to celebrations in Middleham. The victory Dante has proved himself one the imported Italian stallion, Nearco, was bell at Manor House Stud was sounded so H of the best horses of the sold as part of a dispersal sale. lustily that the stout iron chain was broken, century. Nothing less than a The mare gave birth to a brown foal on and Billy Nevett was pictured with his chapter of accidents robbed him of the March 7, 1942. In accordance with his three children, feasting on strawberries 2,000 Guineas; he won the Derby in owner’s usual policy, Dante was sent to the he’d brought home from Newmarket. brilliant style, and if he had not been yearling sales but failed to meet his reserve Winning owner, Sir Eric Ohlson, was so prevented from taking part in the race there of 3,500gns. Returned to Middleham, the delighted that he threw a celebration Dante is not the slightest doubt he would also colt was put into training with Matt Ball in Middleham. have won the St Leger. Peacock at Manor House Stables. There was still some controversy to arise “Thus, though not in fact a Triple Crown By all accounts, Dante, with his white in respect of Dante’s career. He remained winner he will always be entitled, in my star and one white rear hoof, was a Dante wins the 1945 Derby in training and was installed the even- mind at any rate, to the status of a Triple remarkable physical specimen. Perhaps money favourite for the St Leger by the Crown winner.” 16 17.

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