Sandown Thursday - Racehorse Lotto Brigadier Gerard Stakes (Group 3)

SANDOWN’S Brigadier Gerard evening promised much with the long-awaited return of Derby winner Desert Crown (Sir Michael Stoute/Richard Kingscote).

However, despite looking as good as ever when hitting the front just over a furlong from home, the odds-on favourite was run down in the closing stages by Hukum (Owen Burrows/Jim Crowley).

The winner had also been sidelined since winning at Epsom last June, with his impressive defeat of Pyledriver in the Coronation Cup coming the day before Desert Crown’s Derby demolition.

Almost two lengths behind at the furlong pole, having had to wait for a gap, Hukum made up the ground stylishly, and ended up winning by half a length at the line.

Hukum sustained a fracture to a hind leg when taking the Coronation Cup, but any concern about the long-term effect of such an injury was cast aside as he produced another superb performance to extract himself from traffic with a decisive turn of foot in what was a slowly run race.

The 5/1 second favourite is clearly as good as ever and, while the runner-up is likely to improve for the run, the same argument can be applied to him, and he’s something to get excited about for the summer ahead.

Speechless

“I’m a little bit speechless,” Burrows said. “A furlong down I was pleased, I thought he’d got stuck in a bit of a pocket and we were going to run on and finish second. I would have been chuffed with that.

“I’ve always said he’s not a slow horse, he’s always shown speed at home but it’s amazing that he just seems to have a bit more this year. This was always our prep run for the Hardwicke. It’s vital that he has good ground though. We’ll have to have a bit of a rethink maybe but at the moment I don’t see plans changing.”

Sir Michael Stoute felt that Desert Crown was “a little ring-rusty” and got tired in the last 100 yards have gone to win his race.

Substandard

Earlier in the evening, a substandard renewal of the Group 2 Henry II Stakes saw Roberto Escobarr (William Haggas/Richard Kingscote) make most of the running.

While the 7/5 favourite was strongly pressed by Nate The Great (Andrew Balding/William Buick) throughout the last furlong, he was always doing enough to fend off the challenge and passed the post a neck to the good.

There are no immediate plans for the winner, who is reported to need quick ground.