CONNECTIONS of 2022 Derby winner Desert Crown have called upon Frankie Dettori to ride their star at Royal Ascot.
The decision means that Richard Kingscote, who rode him to glory at Epsom last year, has been jocked off.
Frankie Dettori could be set up for another Royal Ascot winner thanks to Saeed Suhail’s decision
Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Desert Crown was subject to a massive market gamble earlier this week after burning up the Newmarket gallops.
He’s now the clear 2-1 favourite for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
And his owner Saeed Suhail is calling upon the “unbeatable” Dettori to steer him to glory in two weeks time.
Speaking to Nick Luck’s Podcast, his racing manager Bruce Raymond said: “The owner just feels that Desert Crown winning this race is all important and he feels that while Frankie is around – because he’s not going to be around next year – he wanted to give the horse every chance.
“He believes that Frankie is unbeatable at Ascot and that’s why he’s jocked Richard off this time – it’s no disgrace for Richard at all.”
Kingscote has ridden Desert Crown on all four of his starts, including that famous Derby win.
But Dettori is a master at the Royal meeting and went through the card in 1996, winning all seven races.
He’s also won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes on four occasions, including for Stoute aboard Crystal Ocean in 2019.
Dettori will enter Royal Ascot in scintillating form, riding an 8-1 winner at Kempton earlier this week that was called a “silly price”.
At the time of writing, Dettori has won on six of his last 14 rides, and has two excellent chances at Haydock on Saturday.
Desert Crown returned with an odds-on defeat at Sandown last month, but should come on leaps and bounds for that.
Stoute is the leading trainer at Royal Ascot, winning 82 times at the meeting.
Aidan O’Brien is just one behind and Stoute will hope to widen the gap if he can.
