'He won't lack fitness' - dazzling Derby hero Desert Crown finally returns - can he be stopped?

Great Derby winners all produce a moment during their victory run which stays frozen in time. We have been left holding a tantalising memory of Richard Kingscote and Desert Crown sailing past Stone Age and into the history books for nigh on a year, waiting for further hard evidence of what our eyes told us back then was a sublime winning effort from an unbeaten talent with the racing world at his feet. 

It is not just a case of absence making the heart grow fonder; in the moment it was real too, as the pair surged clear at the two-furlong pole and you can take your pick between ITV's Richard Hoiles's "sauntering up to them on the outside" or Racing TV's Simon Holt and "oh and it's all over, surely" as a preferred punctuation mark. 

The reappearance of the previous year's Epsom hero 355 days on from his last public sighting is no small matter. The son of Nathaniel is the tenth Derby winner this century to return at four but you have to go back to another Stoute masterpiece, Workforce in 2010, for a colt who surpassed Desert Crown's winning mark of 123 and then raced on the following season.  

Having picked up a minor niggle the day before his last serious piece of work heading into the King George last July, Sir Michael Stoute and owner Saeed Suhail exhibited great patience in not rushing Desert Crown back for a shy at one of the big autumn targets. 

Desert Crown takes the Derby field apart 12 months agoCredit: Edward Whitaker

Nor has there been any unseemly rush to the track this spring, with Stoute identifying early on his favourite stepping stone of the Racehorse Lotto Brigadier Gerard Stakes as the logical place to launch the next phase of Desert Crown's career. 

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to Saeed Suhail, said: "The horse doesn’t take a lot of getting ready and even though earlier on the grass wasn’t open because it was too wet around Newmarket, his last two bits of work, Michael has been very happy. He won’t lack fitness. 

"I don’t think a mile and a quarter is a problem for him at all and we know he stays a mile and a half. He’s probably a horse you could switch about and I don’t think it would be a problem. He’s also versatile in terms of tactics and that adds to how good he can be."

Raymond added: "We’ve got Solid Stone in there to make sure there is a strong gallop. He’s his lead horse at home and Michael purposely didn’t run him at Chester because he wanted to keep him for this." 

A returning Group 1 winner would ordinarily be saddled with a penalty to overcome in this race but the 'statute of limitations' for such considerations is August 31, a date which means another horse on the comeback trail, last season's Coronation Cup winner Hukum, also escapes an extra impost. 

That success 24 hours before Desert Crown won the Derby enabled Hukum to finally be known for something other than being Baaeed's older brother, but Shadwell and trainer Owen Burrows were dealt a cruel blow when he returned home from Epsom lame and had three screws inserted in a hind leg. 

Hukum with trainer Owen Burrows after victory in the Coronation Cup Credit: Mark Cranham

Claymore exhibited smart form at three, notably when chasing home Native Trail in the Craven Stakes and then winning the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes over this mile-and-a-quarter trip at Royal Ascot. 

Yet another of those returning off a 300-plus-day layoff, Jane Chapple-Hyam's four-year-old has 12lb to find on official ratings with Desert Crown but, after only five lifetime starts, he is certainly open to further improvement. 

That is still one more visit to the racetrack than Cash has managed but, having suffered a setback while being prepared for last season's Prix du Jockey Club, David Simcock did at least manage to get the son of Shamardal back for a spin on the all-weather last November. 

Cash certainly built on that when running subsequent Lockinge runner-up Chindit close at Ascot over a mile last month, while a return to ten furlongs looks a positive as well. 

Cash (left) chases home Westover in last season's Sandown Classic TrialCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Chichester shares a 109 rating with Cash but nothing like the same progressive profile. His All-Weather finals day conqueror Berkshire Shadow was third in the Lockinge and there is an argument to be made that he should not be five times the price of Cash, although his four best performances on Racing Post Ratings have all been on an artificial surface. 

There are hopefully bigger tasks ahead for several of the principals but the horse with surely the most exciting season ahead of him is also the one whose past performances are seared into the memory. This is only a starting point for Desert Crown, who has the chance to build a substantial legacy off the back of that dazzling Derby display. It's great to have him back.

Big-race analysis: Strong pace should suit Desert Crown - but watch out for lightly raced Cash

Thursday night's Brigadier Gerard Stakes could result in the unusual scenario of Ryan Moore providing pacemaker duties for Richard Kingscote.

Moore rides outsider Solid Stone in the Sandown Group 3, and while the seven-year-old is perfectly entitled to take his chance (he won a Group 2 last year after all), he is obviously a clear second string to hot favourite and ownermate Desert Crown.

Kingscote was of course never going to lose the ride on his Derby winner to Moore, who won't be available when it comes to the big Group 1 targets later in the season.

Even if Solid Stone doesn't go on – and he has won from the front in the past – there ought to be a reasonable gallop with Claymore in the field as he was a pillar-to-post winner of the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot last term.

That will no doubt suit the strong-travelling Desert Crown, who is very much the one to beat provided he is fit enough on his first run for the best part of a year, even if the Derby from last term has proved to be not as strong as hoped at the time.

Desert Crown did win it easily, and Sir Michael Stoute has an incredible record in this race having won it 11 times, including with a returning Derby winner in Workforce in 2011. That was the final win of Workforce's career, so he will be hoping for better with this one.

Second favourite Hukum is a real danger on his best form, but he's also had a year off, and having won over as far as 1m6f, he does need to prove himself at half a mile shorter. He could manage only a well-beaten fourth in this race two years ago, and this will set him up nicely for a crack at the Hardwicke if he is over his injury problems.

Hukum: returning from almost 12 months offCredit: Alan Crowhurst

If there is to be an upset, the lightly raced Cash is the one to provide it. He looked like he was crying out for the return to 1m2f when chasing home Chindit over 1m at Ascot last month, and on his sole try at the trip he came within inches of reeling in subsequent Derby third Westover in the Classic Trial over course and distance last season.
Analysis by Paul Kealy

What they say

David Simcock, trainer of Cash
I was really pleased with Ascot when he came from off a slow pace. It felt like we were back on track with him and it is just the way the races were that we ran him over a mile first time. This is his optimum trip and I'd like to think this is where he'll be happiest. The Sandown Classic Trial was a long time ago and a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then. I think we'll find out an awful lot taking on horses rated 123 and 122, but this was always the plan. I was a bit horrified when I found out what was turning up, but at the same time, we're very happy with our horse.

Jane Chapple-Hyam, trainer of Claymore
He's wintered well, I'm very pleased. He had a racecourse spin down at Lingfield on Derby Trial day and William Buick was very pleased with him. We go into this race as a stepping stone towards Royal Ascot. We went to the French Guineas and we got drawn out in the woods. But he proved with his Craven second and his Ascot win that he is a good horse. There's a lot in this race who have been off a while and we'll probably all blow up with a furlong to go. It's a mouthwatering race and it's great to see the Derby winner back.

Jane Chapple-Hyam: trainer of ClaymoreCredit: Gerry Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Owen Burrows, trainer of Hukum
We've been pleased with him at home, he's been showing all his old enthusiasm in his work and he looks great. It's obviously going to be tough because Desert Crown looked as if he was something a little bit out of the ordinary, but he's coming back from a year off as well. We haven't won over this trip, but it's a nice spot to start. I'd originally pencilled in Newbury last Saturday but I just felt he needed a couple more gallops last week. Jim [Crowley] rode him in a piece of work on Saturday and we were happy.
Reporting by Scott Burton

Read these next:

View from the gallops: how Desert Crown has prepared for his comeback and what to expect 

Derby winners returning at four - does history say it's a good idea for Desert Crown? 

The return of the Derby king: why Desert Crown could light up 2023 

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