‘All good’ with Desert Crown, as Derby winner resumes cantering duties

Nick Robson
June 28, 2023 2:57 pm

Minor setback ruled Sir Michael Stoute’s once-beaten colt out of Royal Ascot.

Desert Crown is back in light exercise following the setback which ruled him out of Royal Ascot.

Last year’s Derby winner has only been seen once in public since his famous Epsom win, when surprisingly beaten by Hukum at Sandown in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes.

He wowed gallop watchers when tuning up for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and Frankie Dettori had been booked for the big day, but just over a week beforehand connections were dealt a blow.

Following a routine gallop he was giving off cause for concern and while no major damage has been discovered, Sir Michael Stoute’s colt was unable to go to Ascot.

Hands up if you saw this coming?!
Hukum collars last years Derby winner Desert Crown in dramatic style in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes @Sandownpark 😯

pic.twitter.com/daJXD7p7N2
— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) May 25, 2023

Philip Robinson, owner Saeed Suhail’s assistant racing manager, said: “He’s started cantering, having been walking all last week, and is all is good.

“Nothing showed up on any scans or X-rays or anything, so it must have just been a bruise or something like that which just set him back 10 days.

“I’m not sure where he’ll run, I wouldn’t have thought Sir Michael will rush him back, he’ll just take his time and when he’s back in full work then he’ll make a plan.

“It was just one of those really unfortunate things that happens with horses, but they are athletes and these things happen.”