NORTH Yorkshire trainer Kevin Ryan has next month's Betfred Dante Stakes at York as an early-season target for his exciting three-year-old Syphax.

The colt, who was purchased by Godolphin during the off-season, is one of 84 entries for the richest ever renewal of the Group 2 contest which is widely regarded as the leading ‘trial’ for the Investec Derby.

This year’s entry includes the current top five in the betting for the Epsom Classic namely Churchill, Capri, Cliffs of Mother, Rivet, and Sir John Lavery.

Syphax was last seen winning the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes, a Group 3 for two-year-olds, during the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York eight months ago.

He beat subsequent Royal Lodge Stakes winner Best Of Days and the pair clash again in the Dante on Thursday May 18.

Ryan, who is based at Hambleton near Thirsk, is reluctant to draw comparisons between Syphax and The Grey Gatsby which he trained to victory in the Dante three years ago. However, he is hopeful that he has a high-class prospect on his hands.

"We had planned to go straight to the Dante but the plan now is to run at Newcastle on April 14 in a conditions race," he said. "It will be good to get a run into him before going to York.

“He has done fantastically well over the winter and I am very happy with him," Ryan added. "He obviously won the Acomb at the track and, all being well, he can go there in good shape."

Godolphin are represented by 15 colts while Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle team make up over a third of the initial entry with 29 horses.

Among them are current Derby favourite and champion juvenile Churchill, as well as the highly regarded, War Decree.

Another intriguing 'possible' is Rivet, the colt tained by William Haggas who landed his maiden victory at York last August and then won the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.

Newmarket trainer John Gosden has won the last two renewals of the big race with Golden Horn (2015) and Wings Of Desire.

His eight entries for this year’s contest include Crowned Eagle, an Oasis Dream half-brother to Wings Of Desire, who ran out an emphatic winner of his maiden at Nottingham last November.

Gosden also looks to have a strong hand in the Betfred Middleton Stakes, the Group 2 that focuses on the fillies and mares on the second day of the festival.

This is another contest that has seen prize money increase and a total of 23 horses have been entered in the £125,000 contest, run over the same extended ten furlongs as the Dante.

Gosden’s trio include Journey, the Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares winner as well as So Mi Dar, who was an impressive winner over course and distance in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes last May.

The other Group 1 winners who could feature in the line-up are Breeders’ Cup heroine Queen’s Trust (trained by Sir Michael Stoute) and the O’Brien-trained Seventh Heaven, who followed up her Darley Irish Oaks success with victory at York in last season's Darley Yorkshire Oaks.

Also among the entry is the defending champion, Beautiful Romance, who racked up the air miles following that success with a trip to Australia last autumn.

The daughter of New Approach, owned by Godolphin and trained by Saeed Bin Suroor, ran with credit in the Melbourne Cup. She then enjoyed success at Meydan this winter – scoring in Group 3 company.

The Dante Festival runs for three days between Wednesday May 17-19. For tickets please call 01904 620911 x 225 or visit www.yorkracecourse.co.uk.