'He's buried in my garden' - final resting place found for Desert Crown

Derby winner Desert Crown has been found a fitting final resting place near where he was raised and trained – in the garden of the Newmarket home of his owner Saeed Suhail’s racing manager Bruce Raymond.

Despite the best efforts of the surgeons at Newmarket Equine Hospital, Desert Crown last month lost his battle to recover from the leg injury he sustained when being prepared for the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York in August.

The son of Nathaniel won three of four career starts for Sir Michael Stoute, including the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York in May 2022, before his finest hour at Epsom when beating Hoo Ya Mal and Westover under Richard Kingscote a month later.

Desert Crown missed the rest of that season through injury, during which time he spent many weeks in a paddock close to Raymond’s office at Dalham Hall Stud, before returning to training last winter.

Desert Crown with Sarah Denniff, head lass to Sir Michael Stoute,Credit: Edward Whitaker

He showed he had lost none of his ability when narrowly denied by subsequent King George winner Hukum in what turned out to be his final run in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May.

Raymond said: “As you know we had Desert Crown put to sleep and then cremated. His ashes were then put in a coffin-like box, which is now buried in my garden. We’ve found a nice spot for him not far from our house.

“His owner Saaed Suhail was happy for him to remain here and it’s a nice resting place for him just up the road from where he was trained every day. We’ve had a little plaque made up for him with 2022 Derby winner on it and it looks very fitting.”

There are many graves of equine heroes around Newmarket, including those of stallions such as Dubai Millennium and many others at Dalham Hall Stud, while Brigadier Gerard is buried in the grounds of the Swynford Manor Hotel at Six Mile Bottom.

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