James Maxwell
Founder & Editor · Last reviewed 2026-05-10
Wednesday 13 -- Friday 15 May 2026. York Racecourse. Dante Festival three-day fixture.
The 2026 Dante Festival at York runs from Wednesday 13 May to Friday 15 May, with the centrepiece Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes on Thursday 14 May at 16:05 BST. ITV Racing carries Dante Stakes Day live, with broad Racing TV coverage across all three days for the supporting cards.
Quick TV summary:
| Day | Headline race | Off-time | Live TV | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 13 May | Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (G3, fillies' Oaks trial) | ~14:25 | Racing TV | RacingTV.com / Sky 426 |
| Wed 13 May | Minster Stakes (G2, sprint -- ex Duke of York) | ~15:35 | Racing TV | RacingTV.com / Sky 426 |
| Thu 14 May | Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes (G2, Derby trial) | 16:05 | ITV Racing (ITV1 / ITVX) | ITVX live stream |
| Thu 14 May | Tattersalls Middleton Stakes (G2, fillies & mares) | ~14:25 | ITV Racing | ITVX |
| Fri 15 May | Boodles Yorkshire Cup (G2, Gold Cup pipeline) | ~15:35 | Racing TV / Sky Sports Racing (TBC) | RacingTV.com / Sky Sports streaming |
Off-times are scheduled-published; final draw + the BHA's confirmed off-time are released at the 48-hour declarations stage on Tuesday 12 May for the Wednesday card.
Why Dante Stakes Day is on ITV -- the race is the most-watched Derby trial in Europe and ITV's deal with the BHA includes all four named UK Derby trials (Chester Vase + Lingfield + Dante + Goodwood Predominate) on free-to-air. ITVX carries the same coverage as a live stream + on-demand replay for 30 days post-race.
Why Wednesday + Friday lean Racing TV -- the Musidora and Yorkshire Cup are Group 2/3-class but not part of the ITV deal in 2026. Subscribers to Racing TV via Sky / Virgin / RacingTV.com get full HD coverage; non-subscribers can buy a single-day pass on RacingTV.com.
This guide breaks the schedule down day-by-day with per-race off-times, plus the ITVX / Racing TV / Sky Sports Racing options for streaming. For the race-by-race verdicts see our Dante Festival 2026 tips, the Dante Festival 2026 preview, and individual race previews for the Dante Stakes 2026, Musidora Stakes 2026, Yorkshire Cup 2026, and Minster Stakes 2026.
Wednesday 13 May -- Musidora Stakes Day
Gates open: 11:15 BST. First race: ~13:30 BST. Last race: ~17:35 BST.
Live TV: Racing TV. Full HD coverage of all 7 races on the card.
| # | Off-time | Race | Class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13:30 | Class 4 Maiden Stakes | C4 | 5f |
| 2 | 14:00 | Class 3 Handicap | C3 | 7f |
| 3 | 14:25 | Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (G3, 3yo fillies, Oaks trial) | G3 | 1m2½f |
| 4 | 15:00 | Listed Stakes (TBC) | LR | 1m |
| 5 | 15:35 | Minster Stakes (G2, sprint -- formerly Duke of York) | G2 | 6f |
| 6 | 16:10 | Class 2 Handicap | C2 | 1m |
| 7 | 16:45 | Class 4 Maiden Stakes | C4 | 6f |
The Wednesday lead races: the Musidora Stakes (G3) is the year's most important Oaks trial -- 4 of the last 10 winners went on to be placed at Epsom in the Oaks. The Minster Stakes (G2) -- newly rebranded from the Duke of York Stakes for 2026 -- is the season's first 6f Group 2 sprint and a recognised Diamond Jubilee trial heading into Royal Ascot.
For the verdicts see Musidora Stakes 2026 preview and Minster Stakes 2026 preview.
Thursday 14 May -- Dante Stakes Day (ITV)
Gates open: 11:15 BST. First race: ~13:50 BST. Last race: ~17:30 BST.
Live TV: ITV Racing on ITV1, ITV4 simulcast, plus ITVX live stream. ITV's coverage typically runs from ~13:30 BST through the last named race. Racing TV also covers the full card for subscribers.
| # | Off-time | Race | Class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13:50 | Class 2 Maiden Stakes (TBC) | C2 | 1m |
| 2 | 14:25 | Tattersalls Middleton Stakes (G2, fillies & mares 4yo+) | G2 | 1m2½f |
| 3 | 15:00 | Class 3 Handicap | C3 | 7f |
| 4 | 15:35 | Class 2 Handicap | C2 | 5f |
| 5 | 16:05 | Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes (G2, 3yo Derby trial) | G2 | 1m2½f |
| 6 | 16:40 | Class 3 Handicap | C3 | 1m4f |
| 7 | 17:15 | Listed Stakes (TBC) | LR | 6f |
The Thursday centrepiece: the Dante Stakes (G2) at 16:05 BST on ITV1. With Christmas Day (A O'Brien, 3/1) and Morshdi (Haggas, 7/2) heading 12 declared runners, this is the year's single most important Derby trial. The Middleton Stakes (G2) earlier on the card is the 4yo+ fillies' equivalent -- a Coronation Cup trial for the older middle-distance filly.
For the verdicts see Dante Stakes 2026 preview and our Dante Festival 2026 tips.
Friday 15 May -- Yorkshire Cup Day
Gates open: 11:15 BST. First race: ~13:50 BST. Last race: ~17:30 BST.
Live TV: Racing TV. Sky Sports Racing also typically covers the headline race -- check listings for the Friday card.
| # | Off-time | Race | Class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13:50 | Class 4 Maiden Stakes | C4 | 1m |
| 2 | 14:25 | Class 3 Handicap | C3 | 6f |
| 3 | 15:00 | Listed Stakes (TBC) | LR | 5f |
| 4 | 15:35 | Boodles Yorkshire Cup (G2, 4yo+, Gold Cup trial) | G2 | 1m6f |
| 5 | 16:10 | Hambleton Heritage Handicap | C2 | 1m |
| 6 | 16:45 | Class 3 Handicap | C3 | 7f |
| 7 | 17:20 | Class 4 Handicap | C4 | 1m4f |
The Friday centrepiece: the Yorkshire Cup (G2) is the principal Gold Cup pipeline race -- 4 of the last 10 Yorkshire Cup winners ran at Royal Ascot in the Gold Cup, with 1 winner (Stradivarius 2018) going on to win it. Scandinavia (Aidan O'Brien / Ryan Moore) -- the 2025 St Leger and Goodwood Cup winner -- is 3/1 ante-post favourite.
The supporting Hambleton Handicap (Heritage Handicap, 1m) is one of the season's biggest 1m handicap pots and a notable Royal Hunt Cup trial.
For the verdict see Yorkshire Cup 2026 preview.
How to stream Dante Festival 2026 live
ITV / ITVX (Thursday 14 May only)
ITV1 carries live coverage of Dante Stakes Day from approximately 13:30 BST through the last named race at ~17:30 BST. ITV4 simulcasts where the ITV1 schedule has news / drama overlaps. Both are free-to-air via standard UK digital TV (Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, Freesat) and via Sky Glass / Now TV pass-through.
ITVX (itv.com/watch) is ITV's live stream + on-demand platform. Free with registration. ITVX offers:
- Live stream of Dante Stakes Day in full HD on desktop, mobile, smart TV apps, Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV
- 30-day on-demand catch-up of every race + post-race interviews + analysis
- No subscription required -- email registration only
ITVX coverage is UK-only -- viewers in Ireland or overseas need a UK VPN OR can use the Racing TV / RTÉ alternatives below.
Racing TV (all three days)
Racing TV (racingtv.com) carries all 7 races on each of the three days (21 races total) in full HD. Coverage includes paddock walks, post-race interviews, analyst-led replays. Subscription options:
- Sky Channel 426 / Virgin Channel 535 -- as part of a sports add-on bundle
- RacingTV.com web stream -- £29.98/month direct subscription, or a single-day pass at £6.99 if you only want one day's racing
- Racing TV app for iOS / Android -- same access tier as the web stream
The single-day pass is the right format for a one-off Dante Festival viewer. The full subscription is the right format for a regular flat-racing punter who wants the full 12-month UK + Ireland calendar.
Sky Sports Racing (Wednesday + Friday)
Sky Sports Racing (skysports.com/racing) covers the Wednesday Musidora Day and Friday Yorkshire Cup Day with race-day-of analysis + live race calls. Sky Sports Racing requires a Sky Sports subscription (Sky / Now TV / Virgin Media / BT). The live race feed itself is supplemented with form-card + paddock-walk content.
Free alternatives + race highlights
ITV Racing's YouTube channel publishes the Dante Stakes race replay + jockey/trainer post-race interviews within 30 minutes of the race. Free, no registration. Same applies for the Musidora and Yorkshire Cup, though the post-race interview clips are typically only published if the result is high-profile.
Sporting Life + Racing Post + At The Races all publish written race reports + free video replays within 60 minutes of each race.
For the Dante's broader Derby implications see our Epsom Derby 2026 tips and the Epsom Derby Festival 2026 hub.
Dante Festival 2026 -- FAQ
What time is the Dante Stakes 2026?
16:05 BST on Thursday 14 May 2026. Race 5 on the Thursday card at York. Live on ITV1 and ITVX.
Is the Dante Festival on ITV?
Thursday 14 May only. ITV Racing carries Dante Stakes Day live (approximately 13:30 BST through ~17:30 BST). The Wednesday Musidora Day and Friday Yorkshire Cup Day are on Racing TV -- ITV does not cover the supporting days in 2026.
How do I watch the Dante Festival for free?
Thursday 14 May only: ITV1 (free-to-air via Freeview / Sky / Virgin / Freesat) or ITVX (free streaming with email registration). Racing TV via the single-day pass at £6.99 is the cheapest way to access the Wednesday or Friday cards.
What is the Dante Festival?
The Dante Festival at York is a three-day Group-race meeting in mid-May, anchored by the Group 2 Dante Stakes (the most important Derby trial in Europe), the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup (Gold Cup pipeline), the Group 3 Musidora Stakes (Oaks trial) and the Group 2 Minster Stakes (sprint Group, formerly the Duke of York Stakes). 2026 dates: Wed 13 -- Fri 15 May.
Who's running in the Dante Stakes 2026?
12 declared at the 5-day stage (Sat 9 May): Christmas Day (A O'Brien, 3/1), Morshdi (Haggas, 7/2), Al Zanati (Appleby, 5/1), Saxon Street (Gosden, 5/1), Item (Balding, 11/2), Wise Prince (Gosden, 12/1), Action (O'Brien, 14/1), King's Trail (Appleby, 14/1), Italy (O'Brien, 16/1), Maho Bay (Appleby, 20/1), Amadeus Mozart (O'Brien, 33/1), Guildmaster (Gosden, 33/1). Final 48-hour declarations confirmed Tuesday 12 May. See our Dante Stakes 2026 preview for the full breakdown.
What's the going at York for the Dante Festival 2026?
Forecast Good (with Good to Soft in places possible after early-week showers). York's official going stick reading is published every morning at york-racecourse.co.uk. The going forecast is a meaningful trends factor -- Dante winners have been split roughly 50/50 between Good and Good to Soft over the last 10 renewals.
Where can I bet on the Dante Festival 2026?
Most major UK bookmakers have ante-post markets open. Best Odds Guaranteed is available on the day-of-race for accounts at Bet365, William Hill, Coral, Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, and Betfred -- BOG was withdrawn from Star Sports in December 2024. For each-way maths see our Each-Way Calculator before placing the bet, and for our broader bookmaker reviews see the bookmakers hub.
Responsible betting reminder: the Dante Stakes is a competitive Derby trial. Use small stakes, each-way bets in big fields, and stop when you've reached your budget. For bookmaker offers see our offers page. Free help: BeGambleAware.org.
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