Derby hero Desert Crown's recovery continues with possible return at Sandown

Derby winner Desert Crown is reported to be wintering well since his return to training at Sir Michael Stoute’s Newmarket yard in October and could drop to a mile and a quarter for his comeback next season.

Following his emphatic defeat of Hoo Ya Mal and subsequent Irish Derby winner Westover at Epsom in June, Desert Crown picked up a foot injury that ruled him out of his main summer target, the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

After that, Stoute had hoped to prepare the Saeed Suhail-owned colt for the Juddmonte International at York, where he would have clashed with Baaeed, and then the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Instead, Desert Crown spent much of the autumn turned out in a paddock at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket to recover from injury.

After spending some time on a horsewalker, Desert Crown has returned to trotting with the rest of the Stoute string in recent weeks, a discipline which is common across Newmarket at this time of year.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to Suhail, said: “I spoke with Sir Michael yesterday and he said he was very happy with Desert Crown’s recent progress and that he was trotting away with the rest of the team. He won’t say which race he’s targeting but my guess is the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May, which is a race he likes.”

Stoute has won the Group 3 a record 12 times, most recently with Bay Bridge, who went on to land the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot in October.

Raymond added: “I would think Desert Crown’s main target would be a crack at the King George, in which we enjoyed success with Poet’s Word in 2018."

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