DESERT CROWN PRODUCED an imperious display to give trainer Michael Stoute his sixth win in the Epsom Derby.
Stoute raised his top hat as the 5-2 favourite passed the post clear under Richard Kingscote, who was riding in only his second Derby.
Stoute, 76, had already trained a Derby winner for owner Saeed Suhail, Kris Kin in 2003.
Kingscote’s ride would have delighted the nine-time Derby winning jockey Lester Piggott, who died last Sunday and who Saturday’s race was named in honour of.
For Kingscote it was a far happier Derby day than the last time he went to Epsom and his car suffered a puncture with him having to be bundled into another motorist’s car by his wife.
🏆 Desert Crown absolutely flies home in the Cazoo Derby (In Memory of Lester Piggott)
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 4, 2022
What a classy and dominant performance!
Sir Michael Stoute's 12-year wait is over#ITVRacing | #CazooDerby pic.twitter.com/ge0jKecZDD
“I can’t put it into words, when I was a kid I was useless,” said Kingscote.
“I have had a lot of support.
“Obviously he has a huge amount of class, he jumped out great, got in position, travelled great, turned in going in really well.
“He’s got class, gave me a lot of confidence, it’s all about him and Sir Michael.”
Desert Crown crossed the famous finish line two and a half lengths clear of 150-1 outside Hoo Ya Mal with Westover only a head away at 25-1 in third.
Memories of 1981 came flooding back as Desert Crown stormed to success.
It was that year that Stoute first struck gold at Epsom with the incomparable Shergar, but the 2022 model, a lightly-raced son of Nathaniel, did his best impression of the great horse as Richard Kingscote produced a textbook effort in the saddle for a first British Classic win on just his second Derby ride.
Desert Crown was posted wide in mid-division in the early stages as Kingscote strived to settle the 5-2 favourite in the ideal position, but his class soon saw him tracking the Ballydoyle trio of Changingoftheguard, Star Of India and Stone Age, as well as the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained West Wind Blows, who had joined the O’Brien runners in front rank.
The race was put to bed shortly into the home straight, with Kingscote electing not to wait any longer with the smooth travelling colt approaching the two-furlong pole, allowing his mount to stride to the front and lap up the adulation of the Epsom crowd.
He only needed to be ridden out to record a two-and-a-half-length victory from 150-1 outsider Hoo Ya Mal.
Ralph Beckett’s Westover can perhaps count himself unlucky in third having been held behind the fading early pacesetters, but the day belonged to Stoute and Kingscote, with the Barbadian picking up his first Derby since Workforce’s victory in 2010.
Earlier, Adrian Nicholls achieved the remarkable feat of both training and riding a winner of the Simpex Express ‘Dash’ Handicap as Tees Spirit made most to land the ultra-competitive sprint at Epsom in the hands of Barry McHugh.
Having ridden Rudi’s Pet to success for his father David ‘Dandy’ Nicholls in 2002, Tees Spirit’s victory continued the family’s long association with the race, with Nicholls senior being successful five times between 1997 and 2009.
Tees Spirit was away well under McHugh and quickly grabbed the stands rail from 6-1 favourite Live In The Dream and the four-year-old never left that spot as he remained prominent all the way to the line.
