Favourite Wins Epsom Derby

Tara Madgwick - Saturday June 4

The Group I Cazoo Epsom Derby (1m4f) was the highlight of UK racing overnight and it went the way of undefeated colt Desert Crown, who won the Blue Riband eased down beating a 150-1 shot.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute and ridden by Richard Kingscote, Desert Crown won his only start at two last November and returned to score an impressive win in the Group II Dante Stakes at York.

That performance put him firmly in the Derby picture with form judges rating him the best winner of the Dante since Golden Horn, who won in in 2015 and then won the Epsom Derby.

He cruised home to win by two and a half lengths over unheralded Territories colt Hoo Ya Mal with Frankel colt Westover a late closing and most unlucky third after being held up.
 

 

“Richard (Kingscote) was very cool and he rode a beautiful race. We were very hopeful after York that Desert Crown might win the Derby,” said Sir Michael Stoute.

“His performance delighted me as he had it won a long way out. He has got such a good mind to go with his ability. Shergar was very special and he hasn't quite reached that stage but he has potential. I think you have to just go home and see how they take it and we will just try and get it right and see how his recovery is (as regards next target).”

Desert Crown was bought out of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book Two by Blandford Bloodstock for 280,000 guineas and is a half-brother to Group III winner Flying Thunder from winning Green Desert mare Desert Berry, a grand-daughter of Juddmonte Farm’s star producer Binary.

Desert Crown as a yearling.

He is the sixth Group I winner for Galileo’s Group I winning son Nathaniel, best known as the sire world champion mare Enable and is the 16th Group I winner for Green Desert as a broodmare sire.

Nathaniel stands at Newsells Park at a fee of 15,000 pounds.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.