Sir Michael Stoute 'surprised' as Desert Crown storms to Derby favouritism

Thursday: Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes, York

It was just like old times. Racegoers packed eight or ten deep around the paddock to see the runners before the Dante Stakes and afterwards everyone was crowding around Sir Michael Stoute to acclaim a new star.

Now, racing's worries about falling crowds are not forgotten just because of one decent day on the Knavesmire. Nor is Stoute necessarily about to become champion trainer again. But it was a step in the right direction – and a powerful reminder of happy days gone by.

Having come to Britain from Barbados as a 19-year-old in 1965, initially as assistant to Pat Rohan up the road at Malton, the huge cricket enthusiast has accumulated a stylish half-century of big-race winners with the elan and assurance of Brian Lara in his pomp.

3.35 York: full result and replay of Desert Crown's dominant win

He has won the Derby five times and been champion trainer ten, yet neither figure has been added to since 2010 and there may have been one or two doubters thinking Freemason Lodge was no longer the Newmarket winner factory it once was.

Though Dream Of Dreams won him the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2021, Stoute landed only 66 other races through the year and also suffered the death of his longtime partner Coral Pritchard-Gordon.

The man who had used the Dante Stakes as the stepping stone for three of his Derby winners, and won it six times, had mustered just one runner in the race in the last three seasons it had been staged as an Epsom trial – and that one finished last.

Oh ye of little faith! Stoute still knows a good horse when he sees one and nobody told Desert Crown his 76-year-old trainer was anything other than a master when it comes to handling a middle-distance Classic contender.

Desert Crown (left) drew three and a quarter lengths clear of nearest rival Royal PatronageCredit: Edward Whitaker

The patience that has become a trademark in the past 50 years was obvious in the way Stoute was happy to limit Saeed Suhail's stoutly bred 280,000gns yearling to a single impressive win in a Nottingham maiden at two.

The management of expectations is another watchword, playing down hopes for a colt who had become second favourite for the Cazoo Derby before his reappearance, at least in part due to others falling by the wayside.

And so is the calm acceptance that he has another star on his hands. Which he certainly has, whatever the benign refusal-to-get-carried-away with which he answered questions after two minutes and ten seconds of sheer class on the track.

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Desert Crown may lack experience and may have had a less than ideal build-up to his first run of the year yet he travelled strongly throughout, led a quarter of a mile from home and landed the richest Derby trial of all by three and a quarter lengths despite drifting to his right.

"I was very pleased," Stoute said. "I was cautious because he had the hold-up and he's only just up for a race now.

"He was impressive in his maiden and we got behind schedule. We had to do what we did and he didn't let me down, he surprised me actually. That was very encouraging.

"Others in the race will improve too, but you would expect some improvement from him because it's only his second start. It was a very pleasing performance because this was only race two for him and we just got him ready."

Desert Crown has now displaced Stone Age as favourite for the Derby and is a best-priced 9-4 to come out on top on June 4.

A delighted Sir Michael Stoute after seeing Desert Crown win the DanteCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Stoute is not the sort to be drawn on exactly how much improvement he expects, nor would one dream or asking whether that 9-4 was a price worth taking.

But the trainer did say of the Dante: "It's a good trial; it's the best. His temperament isn't a problem – he's a very relaxed horse."

As for the step up to a mile and a half at Epsom, he said: "I'd be very hopeful that wouldn't be a problem."

And asked to compare Desert Crown with his previous Dante winners, Stoute said: "All of them had had a previous race that season, so that's really encouraging."

Encouraging too for those who like the certainties of the past and want to see their heroes back in the pantheon.

Cazoo Derby (4.30 Epsom, June 4)

Betfair: 2 Desert Crown, 3 Stone Age, 13-2 Changingoftheguard, 7 Piz Badile, 10 Star Of India, 12 United Nations, Walk Of Stars, 14 Cash, El Bodegon, Eydon, 16 bar.

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