O'Brien may already have the top two Derby places in the bag

Trainer Aidan O'Brien already had the Derby favourite in his yard in St Nicholas Abbey, despite that colt's disappointing run in the 2,000 Guineas, and he will be well aware of how yesterday's winner compares with the stable No 1.

Should a decision be made to run both at Epsom, there is every chance they could fill the first two places, given the apparent paucity of the home challenge.

Cape Blanco, who won in similar style to O'Brien's Black Bear Island in last May's renewal, had his Derby odds slashed, from 12-1 and 14-1 to a decent-looking 4-1 with St Nicholas Abbey also being trimmed, in his case from 3-1 to 5-2 with Harrogate-based Skybet.

Yet perhaps the most telling point of yesterday's exercise was that O'Brien, who was winning his third Dante, did not deign to cross the Irish Sea to see what is presumably his second string in action, preferring to stay in Tipperary and watch the race on TV, leaving Murtagh to comment: "He runs a bit lazy when you get him off the bridle but when you do ask him he responds really well.

"He's quite tenacious and very brave – he is a big player this lad."

His remarks were echoed by Paul Smith, the son of part-owner Derrick, who added: "That was a real trial and we've always thought he was a good horse.

"We had hoped he would run well and now he's a serious contender."

Sir Michael Stoute, the trainer of Workforce, pointed out: "The bit went through his mouth turning into the straight which wouldn't have helped him at all. I'm sure he will be better with some cut in the ground."

Dettori could not disguise his disappointment. "I can't put my finger on it," he said.

"He was beaten four furlongs out. A good horse like that can't be so far wrong.

"We are going to take him home and have a look at him; it's very disappointing, we thought we had a Derby horse."