Smith: Camelot must meet elders
Aidan O’Brien’s son of Montjeu has been given a rating of 124 by the BHA after he sauntered to a five-length victory at Epsom, supplementing his win in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Smith believes Camelot has to prove himself against the older brigade to be an all-time great.
“He’s very good, no question. We’ve given him a mark of 124 so far,” he told At The Races.
“At this stage of his development we see him as the same horse as Sea The Stars (2009 Derby winner).
“What we want to see him do now is to run against older horses. That is the great barometer. Sea The Stars went on to beat the older horses and remained unbeaten through the year.
“At some point we hope Camelot is going to run against older horses. It gives you a much more solid idea where he ranks in world racing.”
The Coral-Eclipse Stakes and the Juddmonte International are the likely races Camelot could meet his elders in Britain, bringing a fascinating clash with the world’s highest rated racehorse, Frankel, into the reckoning.
However, he could aim to become the first Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky in 1970 if connections give the green light to a tilt at Doncaster’s Ladbrokes St Leger.
The sponsors are certainly hoping the three-year-old heads to Town Moor on September 15.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for us and we are going to throw the kitchen sink at this event – the race, the town, to ensure this happens,” said Ladbrokes’ David Williams.
“Too often racing lets opportunities like this slip through its fingers and we’re determined that doesn’t happen when it comes to our race.
“Listening to the Coolmore and Ballydoyle representatives, this is very much on their radar.
“If it does happen Town Moor won’t have known anything like it for a generation.”
Doncaster racecourse owners Arena Leisure are also understandably excited at the prospect.
“He started his Group One-winning career at Doncaster in the Racing Post Trophy, so it makes it even more special,” said Kate Hills, PR director of Arena.
“The Triple Crown is something that has been talked about for so long.”
Channel 4 Racing and At The Races pundit John McCririck has been campaigning for a Triple Crown bid to happen, and believes it is of historical importance.
“I’ve campaigned for it,” he said.
“We have to go back to our forefathers. They knew how to test a horse. Over the mile of the Guineas, then the adaptability over a mile and a half of Epsom and be able to stay in the Leger, all over the whole season.
“They had it right and it’s terrific that the historical perspective has been put on this.
“It would be fantastic. He’d be the 16th Triple Crown winner and only the third since 1918. That would be amazing.”
* Timeform have awarded Camelot a provisional rating of 130p.
The Derby has seen a number of top-class winners in recent seasons, and that rating is actually behind what Workforce (133) in 2010 and Authorized (132+) in 2007 achieved.
* Aidan and Joseph O’Brien failed in their bid to complete a Derby double as Imperial Monarch finished a luckless eighth behind shock Prix du Jockey Club winner Saonois yesterday.
The unbeaten Imperial Monarch appeared a leading candidate for the French equivalent following his victory in the Sandown Classic Trial last month, but found himself last turning for home after being shuffled back in a rough race.
Switched wide to challenge in the straight by O’Brien junior, the three-year-old found top gear and was flying at the finish, but was unable to reel in the leading group.
The honours went to Saonois, trained by J-P Gauvin and ridden by Antoine Hamelin.Hamelin, who only lost his claim this year, is apprenticed to Alain de Royer-Dupre.
