John Gosden is hoping to bring some joy to Her Majesty The Queen after a difficult year by training her Reach For The Moon to win the 2022 Cazoo Epsom Derby.

The three-year-old Sea The Stars colt saw his season ended after finishing second in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster in September but had previously scored in the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown.

The Solario win saw Reach For The Moon win by an eye-catching four lengths fom Michael Bell's Great Max under Frankie Dettori at the Surrey track.

A second in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster in September only came by a head and there was talk of Reach For The Moon providing the Queen a much sought after first Derby win.

Yet, Reach For The Moon was injured on a routine canter on Warren Hill in Newmarket and has had a spell on the sidelines. Now, after a period of recuperation, Reach For The Moon is heading towards the Dante at York in mid-May before a possible run in the Derby at Epsom, for which he can be backed at 10/1.

Gosden told ITV Racing: "He's coming back, but it's a slow process and whether it all comes too soon, we'll know more in three weeks really.
"The key thing is by the middle of May he is running in a trial and time will be of the essence.
"At the moment he's moving along well, but you know, when you get an interruption like that and he went back home, then came back to us, it's not the ideal flow through the autumn, winter and spring, that's for certain."
Gosden insists the status of the horse's owner makes no difference, with the colt's wellbeing paramount ahead of a possibly vintage summer for the talented son of the legendary Sea The Stars.
"You do what's right by the horse and that is what we will do no matter what anyone thinks, and that is what the owner would want," added the Clarehaven handler.

Reach For The Moon is ready to reach for the Classic that has evaded his regal owner.