Desert Crown

Desert Crown began his racing career in a maiden race over eight and a half furlongs on soft ground at Nottingham Racecourse on 3 November when he was ridden by Richard Kingscote and started at odds of 11/1 in an eleven-runner field. He raced close behind the leaders before taking the lead inside the last quarter mile and won "readily" by five and a half lengths from Schmilsson despite showing his inexperience ("ran green") in the closing stages.[7]

For his first run as a three-year-old Desert Crown was stepped up sharply in class for the Group 2 Dante Stakes (a major trial race for the Epsom Derby) over ten and a half furlongs at York Racecourse on 22 May. Before the race Stoute said that the colt was short of full fitness after his training was interrupted by what he described as a "minor hiccup".[8] With Kingscote in the saddle he started the 7/2 joint favourite alongside the Royal Lodge Stakes winner Royal Patronage while the other six runners included the Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner El Bodegon. After racing towards the rear of the field he moved up to take the lead two furlongs from the finish and despite hanging to the right in the closing stages he stayed on well to win by three and a quarter lengths from Royal Patronage.[9] After the race, Stoute, who was winning the race for a record-equaling seventh time commented "I was really impressed with him... He's got further to go at Epsom, but I'd be very hopeful it wouldn't be a problem."[10]

On 4 June Desert Crown started the 5/2 favourite for the 243rd running of the Derby over one and a half miles at Epsom Racecourse. His sixteen opponents included Stone Age (Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial), Nations Pride (Newmarket Stakes), Changingoftheguard (Chester Vase), Piz Badile (Ballysax Stakes), Star of India (Dee Stakes), Westover (Sandown Classic Trial), Royal Patronage, Nahanni (Blue Riband Trial Stakes) and Masekela (Denford Stakes). Kingscote settled the colt in sixth or seventh place as Changingoftheguard set the pace, before moving up on the outside early in the straight and taking the lead approaching the last quarter mile. He quickly opened up a clear lead on his rivals and despite hanging to the left and being eased down in the final strides he won by two and a half lengths from the 150/1 outsider Hoo Ya Mal.[11] After training his sixth Derby winner, Michael Stoute said "We were very hopeful after York that he might win the Derby. But, you know, the performance delighted me because he had won a long way out. He's got such a good mind... I was very happy with where he was positioned when he got to the top of the hill. He's a good athlete and he floated down the hill. It's a wonderful thrill."[12]