Desert Crown will undergo surgery after sustaining a season-ending fetlock injury on Sunday.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, last year’s Derby winner was being put through his paces on the Al Bahathri gallop ahead of an intended run in York’s Juddmonte International Stakes on Wednesday when the injury occurred.

He was immediately transferred to the Newmarket Equine Hospital where the four-year-old will be operated on.

The son of Nathaniel’s Epsom triumph is the notable highlight in a career that has been plagued by setbacks and he has been seen just once since his finest hour, when losing his unbeaten record to Hukum in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes in May.

He subsequently missed the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot due to a setback, with a leg infection preventing a rematch with Hukum in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes last month.

This latest injury will rule the colt out for the rest of the season, with his racing career hanging in the balance.

“I’ve just been to see him and they will operate this morning,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager for owner Saeed Suhail.

“It is a fetlock injury and he won’t be running again this year, that’s for sure.”