A LOT can happen in the space of 30 days. A month ago today, Wings Of Desire made his racecourse debut and finished third at Newmarket. As of this morning, he is the 4-1 favourite for the Investec Derby, even though he still has to be supplemented for the race.

Even in the whirlwind world of Flat racing, where superstars appear one year and are gone the next, his rate of progress is astounding, but having landed yesterday’s Betfred Dante Stakes at York, goodness knows where his upward trajectory will end.

It could certainly encompass an Epsom classic win, and in a year that has witnessed a succession of muddling trials, he looks more than capable of emulating last year’s champion Golden Horn in order to become the 11th Dante winner to follow up in the Derby.

Prior to yesterday’s success, his only other victory had come in an all-weather maiden at Wolverhampton, but Frankie Dettori’s willingness to desert Newmarket Group Two winner Foundation in order to ride him provided a strong indication of just how highly he is regarded.

His trainer, John Gosden, is hardly a stranger to Epsom glory either, having saddled Golden Horn 12 months ago, and while he took Wings Of Desire out of the Derby at an earlier declaration stage, he always felt there was plenty of potential waiting to be tapped.

“This is a horse that’s still learning, and he’s come from a maiden to Wolverhampton and now to here,” said Gosden. “We’ve had to be very patient with him, and he didn’t even start working at full pace until the start of April.

“He’s freakish really, very laid-back. He was showing things early on that made me think ‘Goodness’, and now he’s come here and won a Dante. He’s shown a lot of improvement, although he’s very different to Golden Horn.

“Golden Horn was always a proper speed horse and showed a lot from an early stage. For this horse to come from not even running as a two-year-old to win a Dante is remarkable really.”

Golden Horn also had to be supplemented for the Derby, and while Gosden will wait to see how Wings Of Desire comes out of yesterday’s race, he is almost certain to start at Epsom.

“We’ll take him down to Epsom so he can have a look at the hill,” said Gosden. “We’ll see how he is in himself, but all being well, we’ll go to Epsom (for the Derby).”

Having partnered Golden Horn to victory last June, Dettori continued his riding renaissance when he partnered Galileo Gold to success in last month’s 2,000 Guineas.

He now finds himself with another live contender for Classic glory, and is confident Wings Of Desire will improve significantly for yesterday’s run.

“Everybody was looking to knock him, but I knew this horse could be anything,” said Dettori. “He proved that today. I think if he goes further, he will be even better.

“He’s very raw, and when he races in front, he’s not very mature. This was only his third day at school really, and he can keep on improving. We know there’s much more to come.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Deauville finished within a neck of Wings Of Desire, but is unlikely to dislodge Chester Vase winner US Army Ranger from his position as Ballydoyle’s main hope of Derby success.

Deauville led the field into the final two furlongs, and battled on gamely in the closing stages, but never looked like being able to repel Wings Of Desire’s finishing surge.

The major disappointment of the race was Sir Michael Stoute’s Midterm, who started yesterday as the ante-post Derby favourite but who could only finish a distant fifth having never threatened to become competitive.