Murtagh secures right response to help Cape Blanco take Dante

Aboard Circumvent for Whatcombe trainer Paul Cole, Hanagan ensured that the Dante – which has produced nine Derby winners since its inception in 1958 and three blue riband champions in the last six years – was run at a true pace, bringing stamina fully into play.

He led from the start with Coordinated Cut and Jamie Spencer following him through and the Irish raider Cape Blanco quickly settled on the rail in third.

Frankie Dettori on the 7-4 favourite Chabal seemed content to follow the field in last place just behind second favourite Workforce but as they took the turn for home it was clear that Chabal was struggling to maintain the gallop, Dettori scrubbing him along with well over three furlongs to run.

Workforce – running for only the second time – was not unreasonably showing signs of inexperience as the pace was relentlessly piled on by Hanagan and the unbeaten Cape Blanco – smoothly put into position in the centre of the track by Johnny Murtagh – was the one going the best of all two furlongs out.

A stablemate of Derby favourite St Nicholas Abbey, Cape Blanco quickened under the slightest of encouragement from Murtagh and the race was effectively over, although Workforce made impressive progress over the last 100 yards to earn second place.

Coordinated Cut stayed on well for third with Chabal and the gallant Circumvent following him home.

Students of Dante history will tell you that no horse beaten in the race has gone on to triumph at Epsom; goodbye Workforce and Chabal.

Classic horses from last year's crop provided another thrilling race in yesterday's other top-quality contest on Knavesmire, the Totesport.com Middleton Stakes, elevated this year to Group Two status and carrying a prize fund of 100,000 with Midday, Henry Cecil's Breeders' Cup Turf and Mare heroine at Santa Anita last November, being beaten on penalties.

Her success in California meant that Midday was conceding 5lb to the Michael Bell-trained 10-11 favourite Sariska, her conqueror in both the Oaks and the Irish equivalent last summer, whose own penalty for winning at Group One level expired on August 31.

In the end the penalty was the difference between the two excellent fillies after Sariska, under Jamie Spencer, had set out to make all over the extended 10 furlongs.

It was a bold move by a jockey who usually favours coming late in his races but at halfway he appeared to be well in control with Midday apparently labouring for Eddie Ahern in third place.

But as they approached the final furlong Sariska suddenly lost her impetus – the early pace having taken its toll – and Ahern saw his chance, changing gears rapidly on his filly and Midday found a piercing few yards of acceleration which had taken her to within a length-and-a-half of Sariska as the line came just too soon.

Ahern picked up a two-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency and without giving Midday time to pick up.

Bell said: "It was borderline whether we ran her but she had actually run some of her best races on similar ground. They had watered and when we walked it we found it was nice, good ground in the straight."

Hanagan had earlier had those who follow Yorkshire-trained horses celebrating after 11-1 chance Johannes, saddled by Malton trainer Fahey, won the opening Totepool Flexi Betting Handicap over five furlongs to follow up opening-day successes for Tim Easterby and James Bethell and instigate the first half of a double on the day for the Musley Bank yard.

Behind Johannes, who was dropping back in distance after racing over six furlongs last season, were Jaconet (11-2), trained by David Barron at Thirsk, and Tabaret (16-1), a winner at Doncaster earlier this month for Scarcroft-based Richard Whitaker.

They went lightning gallop from the gates with Fol Hollow and Le Toreador setting the pace and Judge 'n Jury going well but as they reached halfway Jaconet had grabbed the lead and looked full of running only to run out of gas in the last 100 yards, allowing Hanagan to cruise past and win easing up.

The Yorkshire jockey's forceful tactics in the Dante were emulated by Richard Hills aboard Fareer, trained by Ed Dunlop at Newmarket, in the following race, the Totesport Hambleton Stakes, a Listed race run over a mile.

Sent off at 11-2, Fareer was pushed to the front by Hills as the field left the stalls and led for the entire race, slowly increasing the pace as they galloped down the straight and having just enough in reserve to hold off the fast-finishing 7-2 joint favourite Rainbow Peak with Balcarce Nov (13-2), who had tried to stay with Fareer, taking a deserved third.

Front-running was again the tactic when Hanagan drove Fahey's 8-1 chance Rose Blossom out of the stalls at the start of the five-furlong EBF Conditions Stakes and made all the running to hold off Midnight Martini (3-1) and Duchess Dora (9-2) with something in reserve to complete their double.

Yorkshire's success in the meeting so far was underscored when Hollins, trained at Middleham by Mickey Hammond and with Freddie Tylicki in the saddle, rewarded those who took the 9-1 available with an impressive victory in the 18-furlong Investec Stakes, the last race of the day.