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2023 Epsom Derby hero Desert Crown remains on target to meet Paddington and Mostahdaf in next week's Juddmonte International at York having been out through his paces by Ryan Moore on Wednesday morning.
The four-year-old's only start since that Derby success came when runner-up to Hukum in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May.
Sir Michael Stoute's runner had been set to meet Hukum once more in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes but was forced to miss the engagement following a setback.
Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, said: "Desert Crown worked this morning, he worked nicely, and everybody was happy with him,"
"He's not a great worker, as has been stated before, but everyone was very happy with him this morning and everything went as well as expected."
William Buick had been booked to ride Desert Crown in the King George and is expected to be aboard next week, with Ryan Moore, who rode the colt this morning engaged on Aidan O'Brien's Paddington.
Raymond added: "William didn't ride him. Ryan Moore rode him this morning. He's ridden him a lot of times at home and Sir Michael just sometimes likes a different opinion,"
"It's really shaping up into a great race. One thing I can definitely tell you is this horse needed it badly at Sandown, it wasn't said at the time, but Michael was quite surprised how much he was blowing afterwards."
"He had worked on the grass but nowhere near as much as we would have liked as it kept on pouring down."
"Having spoken to Richard Hills [assistant racing manager for Shadwell, owners of Hukum], their horse had been working really, really well for a long time, so we met a very fit horse that day and he's gone on to prove again he is a very good horse as he's one of the favourites for the Arc."
"We're looking forward to next week. Where else could you take a horse like that? He's got to go somewhere and when you are in his class, there are only certain races you can run in."
Desert Crown is a current 5/1 chance for the York Wednesday showpiece with Paddington heading the market at 4/6.
