YORK opened its gates on Wednesday for the three-day Dante meeting, which got off to the best possible start with So Mi Dar running out a very impressive winner of the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes.

So Mi Dar powered clear in the closing stages of the Group Three contest and, although she was fading in the final furlong under Frankie Dettori, she was four lengths too good for Mark Johnston's Fireglow at the line.

The daughter of globe-trotter Dar Re Mi, owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber, holds an entry in the Derby courtesy of her victory in the Investec Derby Trial at Epsom last month, but trainer John Gosden all but ruled out taking on the colts on the first Saturday in June.

“Minding and her would be some race, wouldn’t it?”, he said afterwards.

“Maybe Lord Lloyd Webber might say ‘go on, show you are better than the men”, and I await instructions as I am only the trainer.”

Lord Lloyd Webber was not at the Knavesmire, but his wife Madeleine was on hand to reveal the line of thinking of the owners.

"I think that (Derby) would probably be a long-shot and I don't think we should be frightened off by other fillies that have got entries in the Oaks,” she said.

"You should never be frightened off by one horse, so hopefully we'll be there."

It was a fifth victory in the Musidora Stakes for Gosden, who also saddled last year’s winner Star Of Seville, The Fugue (2012), Joviality (2011) and Marillette (1993), with The Fugue faring the best of those at Epsom, finishing third to Was.

So Mi Dar is a best-priced 3-1 for the Oaks behind the impressive 1,000 Guineas winner Minding, a hardening favourite who is now no bigger than the 5-4 with Bet365, Coral and William Hill.

Minding has yet to prove her stamina like So Mi Dar, but Gosden believes that Aidan O’Brien’s filly is rightly the market leader for next month’s epic showdown.

“Minding is bulletproof,” the Clarehaven handler added. “Her mind is so relaxed. She took that race and said you were not good enough for me. Ryan (Moore) has never hidden under a bushel his admiration for her, and this is not a jockey who yaps about horses. From him, this is quite strong stuff. I think she is the best three-year-old in Europe.”

So Mi Dar took her unbeaten record to four with her verdict over the 1,000 Guineas fourth Fireglow, who was a quarter of a length further behind Minding at Newmarket 11 days ago.

Dettori was the jockey to follow, riding a fine treble on the day. His first winner, Magical Memory, ran out an authoritative winner of the Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes.

The Charlie Hills-trained grey enjoyed an excellent campaign in 2015, graduating from valuable handicap victories in races like the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood to competing at the highest level when third in the Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Having made a winning return in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket last month, Magical Memory was the 5-2 favourite for this Group Two contest and rewarded his supporters in fine style.

Dettori was happy to take a lead on the far side of the track for much of the six-furlong journey, but he moved towards the front travelling ominously well.

The well-backed Suedois did his best to make a race of it, but Magical Memory was always doing enough and passed the post half a length to the good.

Danzeno ran with credit in third, despite hanging, while Sprint Cup winner Twilight Son looked in need of his first run of the year in fifth.

Dettori said: "You have to time it quite right with him because he gets there quick and then he stops – he thinks he's got the job done.

"If he keeps on progressing like this, he should win a Group One."

Today at York the highlight is the Betway Yorkshire Cup and the locals will be cheering on Clever Cookie.

The eight-year-old suffered a short-priced defeat on his seasonal reappearance at Nottingham and was narrowly denied once more when runner-up to Mizzou in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.

He will be a popular winner if he can get back on the winning trail in this Group Two event for Malton-based Peter Niven.

Gosden's Flying Officer and the Richard Fahey-trained Suegioo were third and fourth respectively in the Sagaro and also turn out just over a fortnight later.

The highest-rated runner is Second Step, who won a Group One in Germany last summer for Luca Cumani and was last seen finishing down the field in the Canadian International in October.

Amanda Perrett's Sagaro seventh Glaring and David Simcock's three-time winner Curbyourenthusiasm complete the line-up for what promises to be a mouth-watering clash.