Camelot for Crown-ing glory in St Leger?
DAY OF RECKONING: Will the Doncaster crowds be welcoming Camelot into the winners circle at Town Moor as Triple Crown king?
CAMELOT trainer Aidan O’Brien insists his horse is not nailed on for the victory in the St Leger that will land him the Triple Crown.
The hot favourite for Saturday’s big race stands of the precipice of history after winning the 2000 Guineas and the Derby earlier this year.
Should Camelot win the St Leger – the longest of the three races at a mile and three quarters – he will become the first horse in 42 years and only the 16th in history to win the Triple Crown.
And while the three-year-old is so heavily backed, trainer O’Brien says it will be a massive test.
He said: “Everything has gone well, so far so good, but it’s a very difficult test for a horse able to be dropped out in the Guineas over a mile on his first run of the season, to have the pace he did and then to win the Derby.
“It’s a massive test and all we can do is turn up on the day and hopefully have him ready.”
O’Brien’s son Joseph (pictured, inset, with his father) is the jockey tasked with securing Camelot’s place in history after his wins at Newmarket and Epsom earlier this year.
While the younger O’Brien admits it is still unknown whether Camelot will be able to stay the longer distance of the Leger, he cannot believe his luck at being able to ride such a ‘special’ horse.
He said: “Camelot is an exceptional horse with a brilliant turn of foot.
“Whether he will stay a mile and three quarters, that’s the big question and nobody knows the answer until Saturday.
“It may only be just over two furlongs further than he has been before but that is still a lot.
“Camelot is still learning and has not had as much racing as some horses of his age.
“He is a jockey’s dream to ride as everything comes naturally to him.
“You let him come alive in your hands and he is actually very easy to ride.
“He is just unbelievable and is not like any other horse I have ever ridden.
“The Triple Crown would be a dream come true.
“I have seen the videos of Nijinsky and Lester Piggott and if Camelot could emulate that it would be unbelievable.”
Trainer Aidan O’Brien continued to lavish praise on the ‘unique’ horse.
He said: “Camelot has always done things of another standard – different to any other horse.
“He showed his versatility from the start and anything he was asked to do he did.
“Everything about this horse is different, he is a different kind of a character.
“He is just not like the normal horse that is made from flesh and blood – there is a bigger aura around him, he is very unusual.
“To be going for the Triple Crown is something I could never dream of happening.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for South Yorkshire
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
