Dante hero Desert Crown leads 18 possibles for Cazoo Derby

Sir Michael Stoute’s impressive Dante winner Desert Crown heads 18 possibles for Saturday’s Cazoo Derby at Epsom.

Having just the second run of his life, the Nathaniel colt come home over three lengths clear of a decent field at York to propel himself to the head of the Derby betting.

Stoute has won the race five times already, including once for Desert Crown’s owner Saeed Suhail with Kris Kin in 2003.

_Kris Kin's Derby win is covered in our new Racing Greats show on Sir Michael Stoute - watch live on Wednesday evening on Racing TV! _

Aidan O’Brien brings together his typically strong challenge, with Stone Age leading the way.

Rather unheralded at two, he nevertheless finished second in Group One company and has won both his starts this season, including most recently in Leopardstown’s usually informative Derby Trial.

O’Brien’s other runners also bring sound credentials, with Changingoftheguard landing the Chester Vase and Star Of India taking the Dee Stakes. However, O’Brien has withdrawn Lingfield Derby Trial winner United Nations and Ivy League.

Charlie Appleby has three contenders, as he did last year when Adayar, seemingly the least fancied of his trio that day, came out on top.

Nations Pride now appears to be his number one hope after being supplemented at a cost of £75,000. Nahanni and Walk Of Stars are also set to represent Appleby and Godolphin, while Stan Moore has also supplemented rank outsider El Habeeb.

The majority of those fees will be added to the prize money for the race, taking the total on offer to over £1.6million.

Appleby's retained rider William Buick confirmed he will partner Nations Pride.

Speaking to Sky Sports Racing he said: "I ride Nations Pride, all being well, so I'm looking forward to that.

"It's always difficult as they are three nice horses and I'm fortunate to have the choice, which is a privilege in itself.

"They are three nice horses, hard to split and they are there for a reason.

"Charlie gets the right horses for the big days, they are three beautifully-bred horses and they are there now."

Connections of the Donnacha O’Brien-trained Piz Badile have entrusted Frankie Dettori with the ride, Dante runner-up Royal Patronage is set to run for Mark and Charlie Johnston and Westover, trained by Ralph Beckett, will sport the famous Juddmonte colours.

The Roger Varian-trained Eydon, who was fourth in the 2000 Guineas, retains the option but is also in the French Derby 24 hours later.

Three others were taken out at the five-day stage – Joseph O’Brien’s Buckaroo, the William Haggas-trained Lysander and David Menuisier’s Sir Bob Parker.

Epsom have confirmed that the big race will be run in memory of Lester Piggott, who won the Derby a record nine times as a jockey.

Jockeys will wear black armbands across both days and there will be a minute’s applause at around 1.15pm on Friday when a wreath in the racing colours of Nijinsky will be laid at the statue of Lester Piggott on The Queen Elizabeth II Stand Lawn.

There will be a further minute’s applause at around 4pm on Saturday before The Cazoo Derby (In Memory of Lester Piggott) is run at 4.30pm.

Phil White, London Regional Director for Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “No jockey is more synonymous with our most famous race than Lester Piggott. Running The Cazoo Derby in his memory, which we believe has not been done in the 242 previous editions of the race, is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest jockeys of the modern era and the record-holder for most wins by a rider.

“We want to give racegoers on both days the opportunity to pay their respects and celebrate the life and career of this extraordinary sportsman, and we hope that taking the unprecedented step of re-naming The Derby shows the high esteem in which Lester is held.

“I would like to thank our sponsors Cazoo for accommodating this request and we hope Friday and Saturday will allow for a fitting tribute to one of the icons of our sport.”