Loder plays it cool with Andean
David Loder, who took Sheikh Mohammed's colt out of last week's Chester Vase because of rain-softened going, refuses to get carried away by the horse's seven-length win in a mile maiden at the Norfolk track last month.
Said the Newmarket trainer: "Andean is fine. The ground is not a concern. There comes a stage when you've got to test his mettle and I think tomorrow is a good test for him.
"I think it's a mistake to hype the horse up. He's a nice horse and he won a maiden at Yarmouth. Let's get real the second (Maclean) won a maiden at Edinburgh but he is in the Derby.
"He's got a nice pedigree, he's a nice type of horse and tomorrow he's going to run in the trial.
"And you'll find out the same as I'll find out. We are three to four weeks away from the Derby. Let's see if he's a Derby horse."
Andean is 20-1 with Ladbrokes for the Epsom Classic on June 5 and 4-1 for the Dante.
The John Dunlop-trained Let The Lion Roar, a half-brother to 2000 St Leger winner Millenary, and Sir Michael Stoute's North Light are 7-2 joint-favourites with Ladbrokes for what looks a wide-open race on the Knavesmire.
Barry Hills is double-handed with probable outsiders Mutawaffer and Oman Gulf.
"Mutawaffer will go on the ground, but Oman Gulf is a bit of an unknown quantity," said the Lambourn trainer.
"He's only raced once and he could have run in the three-year-old handicap today off 87."
Totesport Dante Stakes betting:
Cashmans bet:3/1 Andean, Let The Lion Roar, 5/1 North Light, Rule of Law, 6/1 Moscow Ballet, 12/1 Top Seed, 20/1 Oman Gulf, 33/1 Barbajuan.
Ladbrokes bet: 7/2 Let The Lion Roar, North Light, 4/1 Andean, 9/2 Rule Of Law, 6/1 Moscow Ballet, 8/1 Top Seed, 20/1 Barbajuan, Mutawaffer, 25/1 Oman Gulf, Skidmark.
