Andrew Balding's Bonfire emerged as the most serious threat to Investec Derby favourite Camelot with an impressive comeback performance in the Betfred Dante Stakes at York.
The son of Manduro could hardly have promised more in his two starts as a juvenile, looking a class-act on his racecourse debut at Salisbury before finishing a luckless third in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. His seasonal return had been shifted to Britain's most high-profile Epsom trial from last week's Dee Stakes at Chester due to the rain-softened ground on the Roodee and it proved a wise decision.
The colt showed slight signs of waywardness before the off, but he was as good as gold once the gates opened and travelled supremely well in the hands of Jimmy Fortune. Bonfire quickened past the well supported Ballydoyle-based favourite Ernest Hemingway in taking style and it was recent Newbury winner Ektihaam who moved stylishly out of the pack to throw down a challenge.
The two of them fought out a crowd-pleasing finish heading inside the final furlong, but Bonfire was on top close home, officially scoring by three-quarters of a length.
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