The champion two year old Too Darn Hot heads the eight entries for the Group 2 Dante Stakes on Thursday with this seasons renewal the most competitive for many years.
The John Gosden trained colt was superb last season being unbeaten on all four of his starts including when he went on to take the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on his final outing.
He missed what was supposed to be his seasonal return in the 2,000 Guineas where was 6/4 favourite but was pulled out with a training setback.
The Group 2 contest on Thursday looks set to shape how the Investec Derby betting market may look coming closer to the race with many of the entries heading to Epsom for the Classic on June 1st.
The Dante is over 1 mile 2f which will se Too Darn Hot step up in trip to this distance for the first time with all eyes on the Andrew Lloyd Webber owned three year old to see if has improved now being more mature and coming back for his seasonal debut after the winter break.
What makes this contest competitive is the other competitors in the field and second favourite Japan for trainer Aidan O'Brien is another star on show.
He finished the season with two nice wins especially his last outing when landing the Group 2 Beresford stakes at Naas over a mile.
He is another runner stepping up in trip but this son of Galileo was bought for 1,300,000 Guineas in mind for going on to be a Derby winner and all roads lead to that this year.
Godolphin only field the one runner, who could be another potential option for the Derby, with Line Of Duty. This three year old has a great record in his five races to date finishing runner up in his first two outings and then landing a hat-trick in his other three.
He heads into this contest off the back of his final two year old win in the Group 1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf in the USA and his pedigree suggested he will also enjoy the step up in trip.
Novice winners Surfman and Telecaster are stepping up for there first test at Group level for trainers Roger Varian and Hughie Morrison, whilst Almania, Nayef Road and Turgenev complete the line-up.
Dante Stakes runners and riders
1. Almania - Jim Crowley - 20/1
2. Japan - Ryan Moore - 4/1
3. Line Of Duty - James Doyle - 7/1
4. Nayef Road - Silvestre de Sousa - 25/1
5. Surfman - Andrea Atzeni - 5/1
6. Telecaster - Oisin Murphy - 6/1
7. Too Darn Hot - Frankie Dettori -11/8
8. Turgenev - Kieran O'Neill - 33/1