Desert Crown's King George challenge could be in doubt
- Scott Allen
- 14 July 2022
Derby winner Desert Crown could be a doubt for next weekend's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot after picking up a foot injury.
Trainer Sir Michael Stoute still needs investigate the injury further and will have a further update on his progress later in the week.
The Saeed Suhail-owned colt, was odds-on in some places for the the mile-and-a-half showpiece at Ascot on Saturday week, drifted in the betting on Wednesday afternoon, with one bookie eventually suspending their market.
The son of Nathaniel is unbeaten in three starts following his romp at Epsom, where he became the second Saeed Suhail-owned colt trained by Stoute to prevail in the Derby following Kris Kin's success in 2003.
Hopes were high Desert Crown would frank the Derby form, locking horns again with subsequent Irish Derby winner Westover, who had finished two and three-quarters of a length behind him in third at Epsom.
Stoute said: "He won't be working tomorrow morning.
"We just have a little niggle that we are checking out on his foot."
Asked about the specifics of the injury and whether he had a stone bruise, Stoute said: "Who knows?"
He added: "We are just checking him out.
"So, we will have more news on Friday or Saturday. It is too early to say whether he will run in the King George. We can't make a decision now."
