Tartan Bearer (left) wins the Dante

Tartan Bearer showed a willing attitude when finding plenty for pressure as he ran out a narrow winner of the totesport.com Dante Stakes at York.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute and ridden by Ryan Moore, the 10-1 scorer was last in the early stages but soon made up ground when asked for his effort. Settling down to scrap it out with 14-1 chance Frozen Fire inside the distance, the son of Spectrum always looked on top and stuck his neck out to grab the spoils by a head.

Henry Cecil's Twice Over, sent off the 4-6 favourite, had every chance but failed to quicken inside the final quarter-mile and had to settle for third.

Moore told Channel 4 Racing: "The boss had him spot-on. When he got to the front he just idled, but he really knuckled down in the last furlong and stuck his neck out when the O'Brien horse (Frozen Fire) came to him - he's a very honest horse.

"I can't see why he wouldn't (act round Epsom), but it's early days. He'll stay I think."

Stoute added: "It was a pleasing performance and he's progressed so well since Leicester. He's travelled so well and he doesn't overdo it when he gets there but it's a learning process and he was in front long enough so it will have taught him a bit.

"He will go (to Epsom) and of my others Tajaaweed will go but we still have to discuss whether Doctor Fremantle does too."

Frozen Fire's rider Johnny Murtagh said: "He has run a great race. We always thought he had a lot of ability, but we don't know what happened in his last race. I thought I was going to win, but Ryan just got me on the line. It was a mile and a quarter and his first race of the year, whereas Ryan's horse had run before."

Slight doubts surrounded Twice Over's participation in the key trial, with fast ground causing some concern for connections. But Cecil was not inclined to use conditions as an excuse and was left disappointed by the eclipse of his colt, with whom he skipped the 2000 Guineas in favour of a Derby preparation.

He said: "I am not blaming the ground as all the others went on it. He came there and emptied out and he was disappointing really. Whether he needs to come back in distance or not I don't know. It is up to the Prince (Khalid Abdullah), but I don't think he will run in the Derby after that."