Desert Crown dazzles in the Cazoo Derby for Kingscote and Stoute

Richard Kingscote, Cazoo Derby winning jockey. A memory the jockey will not be forgetting for a long time. With just one previous Derby ride didn’t go all to well, but today saw different fortunes.

His mount, Desert Crown, had been backed into favouritism since his convincing three-and-a-quarter length victory in the Dante Stakes at York just four weeks previous. Desert Crown broke well and sat in sixth/seventh going into Tattenham Corner. The pair soon went upside the leaders and hit the front two furlongs out as they put the race to bed in a matter of strides.

Desert Crown finished two-and-a-half lengths clear of his nearest rival, Hoo Ya Mal, who ran a blinder at huge odds of 150/1 for trainer Andrew Balding. The trainer was also represented in fourth place, with Masekela (66/1) running on strongly. The top four was made up by Westover who looked unlucky in running, finishing third for Rob Hornby and Ralph Beckett.

“He’s got a lot of class and he gave me a lot of confidence”

On an emotional day for Kingscote, he paid tribute to Desert Crown by saying “He’s obviously got a lot of class, he’s jumped great, got in a pitch,” said Kingscote. “[He] travelled great and turned in going well. It was all lovely. “He’s got a lot of class and he gave me a lot of confidence. It’s all about him and Sir Michael. He’s a lovely horse and it’s a lovely gentleman who trains him. It’s a good day.”

The victory marks a sixth Cazoo Derby for trainer Sir Michael Stoute. In the intervening 12 years, Stoute had only saddled three runners, with the Queen’s Carlton House a narrowly-beaten third in 2011, and none in the last five runnings of the race.”