Desert Crown romps to Derby victory to put Sir Michael back in enclosure

Just the small matter of 41 years on from his first Derby success with the legendary Shergar, Sir Michael Stoute produced another potential superstar as Desert Crown strolled to victory at Epsom.

Sent off the 5-2 favourite having easily won the Dante Stakes at York, a tried and tested route of Stoute’s, the son of Nathaniel had been an unconsidered 33-1 shot for the blue riband as the Guineas were being run.

Having suffered a setback in the spring, his handler had been worried the York race would come too soon and admitted to being taken aback by the ease of his victory on the Knavesmire.

There was never any doubt he would be the one to beat after that, but with Aidan O’Brien and Charlie Appleby both fielding three viable challengers in a field of 17, Desert Crown’s main danger in a race run in memory of Lester Piggott could have proved to be traffic.

As soon as Richard Kingscote adopted a position in the first half a dozen those fears dissipated, though, and having chosen to track Ryan Moore on Stone Age, when he made his move Kingscote suddenly found himself in front.

In truth, the race was over three furlongs out, and while Hoo Ya Mal and the staying-on Westover closed to within two and a half lengths, Desert Crown’s superiority was marked.

While Stoute stopped short of comparing him to Shergar, he once again houses one of the most exciting horses in training and thankfully Desert Crown’s temperament was bombproof as fireworks were let off over the grandstand before the race.

Stoute said: “It’s just a delight to train nice horses and I’ll never tire of that.

“Fortunately we have come across another good one. We were very hopeful after York that he might win the Derby. I was very happy when he got to the top of the hill, he was really (well) positioned, he travelled and floated down the hill.

“Shergar was very special, he hasn’t quite reached that stage but he has potential.”

Stoute had not won the Derby since Workforce broke the track record in 2010, but never gave up hope he would be back in the hallowed winner’s enclosure one day.

“I didn’t know if Workforce would be the last one, you realise as time moves on your chances lessen but it had been a lot of years and some people didn’t think I’d win another,” he said.

“We’d been getting a lot of well wishers as they were impressed with him in the Dante.

“It has been a great afternoon. I am to be proud of that (oldest trainer to win the Derby at age 76), I’m proud of the horse.

“That it is very nice (winning the Derby in Platinum Jubilee year), but I’m sad I didn’t win it for her (the Queen) as I think we were unlucky with Carlton House (third in 2011) – that would have been the biggest thrill.

“It is always nice to see the Queen racing here and Ascot and anywhere.”

RUTHLESS: Richard Kingscote and Desert Crown were runaway winners in the Derby yesterday.