Epsom Derby 2022: Desert Crown Profile

Sir Michael Stoute will saddle the hugely exciting colt Desert Crown, who stormed to the head of the 2022 Cazoo Derby betting with a fine victory in the Dante Stakes at York...

Desert Crown

Sire: Nathaniel

Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute

Runs: 2

Wins: 2

Notable Race Wins: Dante Stakes

A five-and-a-half length winner of a Nottingham maiden back in November 2021, Desert Crown shaped like he could be a potential class act, so having made his sole juvenile start he headed to the Dante Stakes at York in May 2022 as a hugely exciting three-year-old for Sir Michael Stoute.

Stoute, who has trained the winner of the Derby at Epsom on five occasions (Shergar 1981, Shahrastani 1986, Kris Kin 2003, North Light 2004, Workforce 2010), was hoping that he could have another potential Classic contender on his hands and Desert Crown was duly sent off the 7/2 joint favourite for the Group 2 Derby Trial at York.

Travelling sweetly for Richard Kingscote off the pace, the son of Nathaniel was in cruise control as they turned for home, and as others began to falter he started to quicken up following Kingscote's urgings and he serenely breezed to the front. Running in the middle of track and running on his own, Desert Crown quickly put daylight between himself and his rivals, and he went on to win by an emphatic three-and-a-quarter lengths from Royal Patronage.

Still showing slight signs of greenness, Desert Crown is sure to improve for only his second racecourse start, and in the immediate aftermath of the Dante win he was catapulted to the top of the betting, and looks to be a real contender for the Freemason Lodge yard, who appear to have another star on their hands.

That Dante win came over 1m 2f, but his pedigree suggests that the step up to 1m 4f for the Derby on June 4 won't pose any problems whatsoever, and if he can continue to improve then it's hard to not see him play a notable role in what should be a wide open renewal of the Derby in 2022.