Surprise twist in race plans as Dante and Musidora are scheduled for July

A topsy-turvy 2020 delivered another surprise on Tuesday when the BHA revealed the Dante and Musidora Stakes, normally run as trials for the Investec Derby and Oaks, will be run instead as standalone races after the Epsom Classics.

Both races, a Group 2 and Group 3 respectively for three-year-olds, will be run as usual at York but are taking place on July 9, five days after the Derby and Oaks are run as part of a one-day extravaganza at Epsom.

The rescheduled races will coincide with the start of Newmarket's July festival and are set to be covered by ITV Racing, which released encouraging viewing figures for the three feature racedays of Newmarket's behind-closed-doors Guineas festival last week.

Ruth Quinn, BHA director of international racing and racing development, said: "Due to the unprecedented circumstances there has been a lack of opportunities for young, inexperienced horses who would normally have taken in a race like the Dante or Musidora.

"In a way, they will be acting like the King Edward VII or Ribblesdale would usually in that they're standalone Group races for those horses, with the King Edward VII and Ribblesdale being used [as part of the build-up] for Epsom horses this year."

The York races were revealed as part of a July race programme in which a number of high-profile contests have been repositioned after racing was shut down from March 18 to May 31 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Dee Ex Bee wins last year's Henry II Stakes in its usual slot on May 23; this year the race has moved to July 5Credit: Edward Whitaker

Among the races that have been rescheduled are the Listed Marygate and National Stakes for two-year-olds; the Group 3 Henry II Stakes, which replaces the Listed Esher Stakes on the Coral-Eclipse card at Sandown on July 5; the Listed Further Flight Stakes, due to take place on August 1; and the Listed King Charles II Stakes, which answers trainers' calls for more opportunities for high-class 7f performers.

Quinn also confirmed that the race programme for August would be released to participants "before the end of June" to allow for greater race planning for horses. In an interview with the Racing Post last week, Sir Mark Prescott said the inability to plan ahead with his horses was "darkly irritating".

In an update to industry participants on Tuesday, the BHA also outlined the lifting of restrictions around apprentice jockeys and an increase in field sizes.

Apprentices claiming 5lb will be able to ride from Monday, while 7lb claimers can resume riding from June 22. Criteria for who is able to ride over jumps will be "confirmed in a further update later this week".

From Monday, general field sizes will increase to a maximum of 14 from 12, while heritage handicaps will revert to the usual number of runners or to maximum field sizes determined by each racecourse.

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