JOHN Gosden could not hide his excitement after the "freakish" Wings Of Desire shot to Investec Derby prominence with victory in the Betfred Dante Stakes at York this afternoon.

It is less than a month since the imposing son of Pivotal took his first steps on the racecourse at Newmarket.

And while there was clear promise in his performance in finishing third, even a trainer with Gosden's wealth of experience of handling top-class thoroughbreds appeared blown away by the subsequent rapid progress.

His second start yielded a comprehensive and predictable victory under the floodlights at Wolverhampton and, while he faced a far sterner test in what is widely regarded as Britain's leading trial for next month's Epsom Classic, the booking of Frankie Dettori suggested connections meant business.

Eventually allowed to go off at 9-1, the inexperienced chestnut was given a chance to find his stride by the popular Italian.

Wings Of Desire moved up ominously in the straight and, while Aidan O'Brien's Deauville refused to go down without a fight, Dettori's mount answered every call to get up by a neck.

Gosden, who completed the Dante-Derby double with both Benny The Dip (1997) and last year's breathtaking victor Golden Horn, confirmed Wings Of Desire will be supplemented for Derby – having been withdrawn from the race just two months ago.

Gosden said: "This horse is still learning. He's gone from a maiden to Wolverhampton to here. This horse never did a half-speed piece of work until the middle of March, so consequently he's still learning a lot.

"We'll take him to Epsom to let him have a feel of the hill. He's still very much a baby.

"He's freakish. He showed me things early on, I thought 'goodness'. He's so laid back.

"I took him out of the Derby on March 7 as I thought he would go for the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot, like his brother Eagle Top. That was my plan and it has obviously changed."

Elsewhere, it has been a quiet start to the season for Saeed bin Suroor but the Godolphin trainer sprang into life today with a double, highlighted by Beautiful Romance in the Betfred Middleton Stakes.

When last seen Beautiful Romance had run a career-best effort on Champions Day at Ascot to finish third behind St Leger winner Simple Verse, but she was meeting the filly who finished second that day, Journey.

Connections always felt she needed a bit of cut in the ground to be seen at her best but she dispelled those doubts, beating Luca Cumani's Koora by a length and a quarter with Journey third.

Rider James Doyle said of the 5-1 winner: "She ran well in the Nell Gwyn last year, then she got a few niggly problems and we were just behind the eight ball, just on the back foot, so we were really happy with that."

Doyle and Bin Suroor then teamed up for Always Smile in the Betfred TV Hambleton Stakes, although she could be considered a slightly fortunate winner.

While Doyle swept around the field, Ryan Moore was trapped on the rails on Convey and by the time he got out the bird had flown. The 8-1 co-favourite held on by a neck.

Michael Dods' Easton Angel began her three-year-old campaign with a win in the British Stallion Studs EBF Westow Stakes.

Sent off the 100-30 favourite, despite her form tailing off towards the end of last season, she showed blistering speed to quicken up with a furlong to run.

Even though she drifted across the track she still had three-quarters of a length in hand under Paul Mulrennan.

Duke Of Firenze (10-1), once a top-class handicapper for Sir Michael Stoute and then Robert Cowell, notched a first win since being switched to David Griffiths in the Betfred "Supports Jack Berry House" Stakes.

Winner of the Epsom Dash three years ago, that is his target once more.

Richard Hannon's Admiralty Arch (14-1) was an impressive winner of the Stratford Place Stud Breeds Group Winners EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes for Jimmy Fortune. Unusually he had made his debut at Chantilly last month.

The Declan Carroll-trained Saigon City sprang a 33-1 surprise in the hands of Tom Eaves when outstaying the opposition to take the Racing UK Now In HD Handicap by a length and three-quarters from The Cashel Man.