It’s the month of June, the season of European Derby’s, and its Desert Crown who’s $2.75 with Ladbrokes for The Cazoo Derby, The Derby Stakes of 1½m to be run at Epsom.
With this Cazoo Derby run in Memory of Lester Piggott it was Naver Say Die in 1954 who was the first of record 9 wins, along with wins in 1957, 1960, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1976, 1977 and 1983.
While not shaping up to be a ‘classic’ Derby field, its Sir Michael Stoute who has Desert Crown as a comfortable winner of Dante Stakes of 1m2½f, having sustained a set-back in February.
Now a two race-two win hero, and replacing Aiden O’Brien’s Stone Age as the Derby favourite, Desert Crown can now join Golden Horn in 2015 as the latest Dante-Derby double winner.
Scoring by 3¼ lengths in the hands of Richard Kingscote, Desert Crown also won his only start at two years by 5½ lengths over 1m½f at Nottingham, and opened for the Derby at $41.
To be again ridden by Richard Kingscote, and starting from Gate 12 for owner Saeed Suhail, Desert Crown is a 280,000 Guineas graduate of Tattersalls 2020 October Yearling Sale, Book 1.
Purchased by Blandford Bloodstock from breeder Strawberry Hills Farm, he’s by the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Nathanial, who sired the ‘classic’ champion Enable.
A half-brother to the Hong Kong Premiers Cup winner Archie McKellar, Desert Crown is from the 8f winning Green Desert mare Desert Berry, and is the family of Proviso, Byword and Fiche.
With Sir Michael Stoute breaking the Coolmore-Godolphin mould of Derby race favourite, its’s Aiden O’Brien with Stone Age at $4.75 having won the traditional Lepoardstown Derby Trial.
Posted as the earlier $3.25 Derby favourite, Stone Age scored a 5½ length victory over 1¼m for Ryan Moore, who he again rides in the Derby, having previously won at 1¼m at Navan.
In being a non-winning juvenile of seven stares, Stone Age was placed second in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud and Juvenile Stakes, and he’s looking as Galileo’s sixth Cazoo Derby winner.
Racing in the familiar green and dark green colours of Peter Brant, and in partnership with Mrs John Magnier and Michael Tabor, Stone Age was bred by Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm.
In being from the 1½m winning Anabaa mare Bonanza Creek, a half-sister to French Oaks winner Bright Sky, she was a €270,000 buy from Wilderstein Racing at Goffs 2016 Breeding Stock Sale.
Also from Ballydoyle, Aiden O’Brien has the season’s unbeaten Changingoftheguard at $8 for Wayne Lordan and last start Dee Stakes winner Star of India at $15 with Seamie Heffernan.
With Charlie Appleby having Godolphin’s triple 1¼m winner Nations Pride, William Buick, third in line at $7.50, with Walk of Stars at $15 for James Doyle, and Nahanni $2# with Adam Kirby.
However, with Highclere Racing having possibly their best season, they have the Dante Stakes second Royal Patronage at $21 for Charlie and Mark Johnston, and to be ridden by Jason Hart.
In winning the Royal Lodge Stakes and Acomb Stakes last season at two, he was a 62,000Gns graduate of the 2000 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, purchased by John and Jake Warren.
Bred by Emma Capon Bloodstock, he’s from the winning Dalakhani mare Shaloushka, by the Coolmore Australia shuttler Wootton Basset, and is the family of dual Derby winner Shahrastani.
And with Highclere’s Harry Herbert always ‘looking further’ can Royal Patronage join Motivator in 2005, as their second Cazoo Derby winner, while in May Cache won the 1000 Guineas.
At Chantilly on Sunday, it’s different for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin with their French Guineas, Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Modern Games in the Qatar Prix du Jockey-Club 2100m.
In being a short $2.75 favourite in the hands of William Buick, he’s now challenged by the Jean-Claude Rouget trained Al Hakeem at $7, with Godolphin deciding to run Nations Pride at Epsom.
Also winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Modern Games is home-bred being by the highly successful sire Dubawi from the New Approach mare Modern Ideals, a half-sister to Ultra.
