Desert Crown for Derby success

Desert Crown can provide Sir Michael Stoute with his sixth victory in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom on Saturday.
It is 41 years since the Freemason Lodge handler first won the premier Classic with the legendary Shergar and he has since struck gold with Shahrastani (1986), Kris Kin (2003), North Light (2004) and Workforce (2010).
Stoute did his best to dampen the hype surrounding Desert Crown this spring, but the ante-post betting for Epsom told a different story. A winner on his sole juvenile start at Nottingham, the son of Nathaniel was a huge mover in the Derby market before returning in the Dante at York, which on the face of it represented a huge rise in class.
But despite Stoute's insistence that Desert Crown had not been burning up the Newmarket gallops, he scorched up the Knavesmire turf in the style of a colt destined for the top.
By all accounts a recent gallop with his high-class stablemate Solid Stone went particularly well and he undoubtedly deserves his place as Derby favourite.
As you would expect there are plenty of dangers, with Stone Age seemingly the pick of Aidan O'Brien's runners following his runaway success at Leopardstown, but what that form is worth is open to question.
The progressive Nations Pride must be respected for the formidable combination of Charlie Appleby and William Buick after being supplemented, while of those at bigger prices, Sandown Classic Trial Westover could outrun his odds.
But Desert Crown might just be something a bit special and is expected to come out on top.
There could be further success for Stoute on the Surrey Downs when Potapova runs in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes. The four-year-old didn't quite fulfil her potential at three, but showed
encouraging signs on her first start of this season when beaten a head by Roman Mist in Kempton's Listed Snowdrop Fillies' Stakes.
That will have blown away the cobwebs and Potapova, who looks just the type that her master handler excels with as they get older, is backed to turn the tables on Tom Ward's filly and make a welcome return to winning ways in this Group 3 contest.
In the other Group 3 on the card, the Cazoo Diomed Stakes, it could be Modern News who grabs all the headlines.
Charlie Appleby's four-year-old won each of his three starts last season and has barely put a foot wrong so far this term. He was placed in Listed company in Meydan in February and was a winner at that level at Windsor when last seen, a victory which came on the back of a hard-fought success in Newbury's Spring Cup.
Godolphin are cleaning up all the top mile prizes this season and there is a good chance that the gelded son of Shamardal keeps the ball rolling.
A 3.5kg rise may not be enough to stop Dusky Lord blitzing his way to Simpex Express 'Dash' Handicap glory. The four-year-old won a touch cosily on his reappearance at Newmarket and that
form has been boosted since with the runner-up a winner next time at Redcar and the fifth also finding the scoresheet earlier this week.
There is further sprinting action at Musselburgh, where Sampers Seven could enhance Mick Appleby's fine recent record in the Inchs Cider Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap.
The mare was beaten a neck when making a pleasing return from 613 days off the track at Haydock last weekend and is backed to quickly build on that effort.
Appleby has won two of the last three runnings of this 1000m contest, while the last three winners have all been prominent racers, with Sampers Seven's forward-going style fitting that trend perfectly. - Press Association