Bookies fear Camelot Derby claims
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the brilliant Racing Post Trophy winner is favourite for both the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 5, as well as the Investec Derby on June 2.
David Williams of Ladbrokes said: “We’ve been blessed with what commentators have called horses of a lifetime. We had Sea The Stars three years ago and Frankel last year.
“The Flat season keeps on giving and last year we finished with Camelot, who set the place on fire at Doncaster.
“We thought he shaped like a middle-distance horse, but the money for him suggests that the Guineas is on the agenda. We’re well on the way to seeing if we have another real deal.
“He’s a big liability for us in the Guineas but in the Derby we were bottom price before he won the Racing Post Trophy and we have barely laid a penny on him for that. But we have got caught up in this plunge for the Guineas, which has taken us by surprise.
“The Guineas last year was expensive and if Camelot wins it will be an expensive start to May.”
Coral spokesman David Stevens said: “We fear him more for the Derby than the Guineas. He is favourite for both, but we don’t yet where he is going to go.
“If he goes for the Guineas he will be hot favourite and at this point it is not certain that is his first target.
“In the ante-post book, he’s a bad horse for us in the Derby more than in the Guineas. There’s more money for that race with horses like Top Offer and Most Improved. For the Guineas, punters are looking against Camelot.
“Frankel is the horse we are all waiting to see again. If he starts his campaign off in the Lockinge it will start the Flat season off to a flier and from our point of view we have a vested interest and would love to see him having his first run over 10 furlongs in the Coral-Eclipse.”
