Tom Marquand hopes Desert Hero 'can go further up the ladder' as royal star prepares for Sandown return
Tom Marquand is excited about being reunited with Desert Hero in Friday's bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes (2.25) at Sandown, and hopes the King and Queen's Royal Ascot winner can flourish into an elite middle-distance performer this year.
The William Haggas-trained four-year-old provided King Charles and Queen Camilla with their first winner at the royal meeting with a narrow victory in the King George V Stakes, having been bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Desert Hero landed the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood afterwards and has not been seen since finishing a fine third in the St Leger at Doncaster in September. After being gelded in the winter he makes his return in the 1m2f Group 3, in which he is set to face six rivals.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on 24 April 2024inBritain
Last updated 17:00, 24 April 2024
- Charlie Johnston: 'Clerks interfere with watering more than they need to - our biggest unpredictability is what they'll do'
- 'Extraordinary' filly set to head exciting weekend for Highclere Racing in French 1,000 Guineas
- Newton Abbot chief Pat Masterson to retire at the end of the year
- 'She certainly wasn't stopping' - Karl Burke keeping faith with star three-year-olds despite Guineas disappointments
- Confirmed runners and riders for the Derby and Oaks Trials at Lingfield on Saturday
- Charlie Johnston: 'Clerks interfere with watering more than they need to - our biggest unpredictability is what they'll do'
- 'Extraordinary' filly set to head exciting weekend for Highclere Racing in French 1,000 Guineas
- Newton Abbot chief Pat Masterson to retire at the end of the year
- 'She certainly wasn't stopping' - Karl Burke keeping faith with star three-year-olds despite Guineas disappointments
- Confirmed runners and riders for the Derby and Oaks Trials at Lingfield on Saturday