Stoute’s Desert stormer
SIR MICHAEL BACK AT THE TOP
DESERT CROWN proved head and shoulders above his Platinum Jubilee Derby rivals to restore Sir Michael Stoute to the limelight.
At 76 years old, Stoute – whose five Derby heroes include the legendary 10-length victor Shergar in 1981 – feared his days at Flat racing’s summit were behind him.
But Desert Crown, 5-2 favourite in the 17-runner field, brought the glory days back to Stoute’s Freemason Lodge stable, producing an explosive burst of speed under jockey Richard Kingscote to beat 150-1 outsider Hoo Ya Mal.
Stoute, the 10time champion trainer whose last Derby triumph came in 2010 via Workforce, had not even had a runner in the race since 2016.
And he admitted: “You realise, as time goes on, your chances lessen. That’s the logical answer to that, but I didn’t sit down and think about it year after year.
“But it had been a lot of years, hadn’t it?
“It’s a delight to train good horses, and fortunately we’ve got ourselves another good one.”
Stoute, the oldest trainer to capture the world’s most iconic Flat race, added: “Shergar was very special.
“At the moment, he hasn’t reached those standards yet, but he could be en route.”
Kingscote, having just his second Derby ride, oozed confidence aboard the bay son of Nathaniel, a winner at Nottingham last November before leaping to the front of the betting for the Epsom Classic with an impressive triumph in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York last month.
Sending his mount into a clear lead with two furlongs of the Cazoo-sponsored
mile-and-a-half test to run, Kingscote barely had to use his whip to win by twoand-a-half lengths.
The 35-year-old jockey, flanked in the famous winner’s enclosure by wife Ashleigh and their children – Sebastian, nine, and six-year-old William – said: “This is huge for any jockey. Lots of very good jockeys go throughout their career without
It’s a delight to train good horses, and we’ve got another good one
being able to ride in a Derby, or win a Derby.”
Kingscote, in his first full season with Stoute after spending 12 years as stable rider to Michael Owen’s former trainer Tom Dascombe, added: “Before York, I didn’t know what to expect but as soon as I rode him there I thought he was good enough.
“I’d been really quite confident but not riding a Derby winner before – and not wanting to get my hopes up – I tried not to think about being here.
“But he gave me a beautiful ride and he’s clearly got a lot of class – at the two-pole, it was game over. I got goosebumps pulling up.”
The Queen, whose mobility problems forced her to miss yesterday’s race, was in Stoute’s thoughts as he celebrated his success.
“I’m sad I didn’t win it for her,” said the son of a Barbadian police chief who saddled 5-2 market leader Carlton House to finish third in the royal silks in 2011.
“That would have been the biggest thrill. I think we were unlucky.”
But while the Queen watched the 243rd running of the Derby at Windsor Castle, the outcome – cheered by punters up and down the land during Platinum Jubilee weekend – received the royal seal of approval.
As the Princess Royal presented the winning trophy to Dubai businessman Saeed Suhail – successful with the Stoute-saddled Kris Kin in 2003 – her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, smiled: “I think the Queen will be very happy with the result.”