Trainer Aidan O’Brien paraded Investec Derby favourite Camelot at a media morning organised by Epsom Downs Racecourse and Investec at his Ballydoyle Stable in County Tipperary and is counting down the days until the premier Classic on Saturday, June 2. O’Brien is chasing a third Investec Derby victory following success with Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002).
O’Brien’s 18-year-old son Joseph will be in the saddle again at Epsom Downs and the trainer believes the Montjeu colt has benefited from his victory in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas.
Camelot is currently the 4/5 favourite for the Investec Derby with William Hill, Official Betting Partner of the 2012 Investec Derby Festival.
“The Investec Derby is the obvious race for Camelot and hopefully when the time comes he will be there in good shape. We are not going to do an awful lot between now and then, we will just let him go naturally,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“We think he learned a lot in the Guineas, he settled and ran through the gaps and had to fight. Joseph wanted to teach him a bit because we never had to ask him a lot at two, he won both his races very easily and hadn’t been off the bridle or shown the stick or anything like that.
Camelot with trainer Aidan O’Brien, jockey Joseph O’Brien and groom Kaname Tsuge
“You don’t know about Epsom until you go there – you worry about everything including the day, the atmosphere and going to the start. He behaved beautifully at the Guineas and is very relaxed and calm but, as you would expect with a horse with that explosive burst of speed, he does have a lot of nervous energy in there.
“He kept on going when he was pulling up at Newmarket and I’ve not seen anything to suggest he wouldn’t get further.
“I don’t want to blow the horse up in any way but everyone can see he’s a very good looking and good actioned horse and those horses are often too good to be true. The Investec Derby is one of those things I wouldn’t even dream about because I’d be afraid to.”
Speaking about the fact his Jospeh is set to ride Camelot, the trainer added: “It’s been great for all of us, from the time Joseph has been able to walk he’s been in the middle of it all here – both the good days and the bad days. He’s a massive help for us and before he could ride out he was going in the Jeep with us.”
O’Brien is still finalising his team for the Investec Derby and he added: “We’ve got a lot of different options there with the likes of Astrology, Imperial Monarch, maiden winners and Ernest Hemingway, who is a beautiful big horse. He will go for the Dante on Thursday if the ground is good or better but it is doubtful he’d go to Epsom if he misses York. Whether the boys would let all of them go to Epsom, I don’t know.
“We haven’t won the Investec Derby in a number of years so we are very used to coming home every year very humbled. All these horses are bred and reared for Epsom and the Derby is the race that shapes the breed.”
O’Brien could have three representatives in the Investec Oaks and added: “Maybe and Kissed will go straight for Epsom and we could look at the race for Was, who we might run at Naas on Thursday, as well. Wading didn’t come right in the spring and I don’t want to force her so I’d be surprised if she makes Epsom.”
LATEST BETTING FROM WILLIAM HILL, OFFICIAL BETTING PARTNER OF THE 2012 INVESTEC DERBY FESTIVAL
Investec Derby: 4/5 Camelot; 8/1 Bonfire; 12/1 Mandaean; 16/1 Imperial Monarch, Kesampour, Parish Hall; 20/1 Astrology, Main Sequence; 25/1 Ektihaam, Encke, Ernest Hemingway, Fencing, Noble Mission, Shantaram, Swedish Sailor; 33/1 Apollo, Athens, Mariner’s Cross, Michelangelo, Mickdaam, Mighty Ambition, Rougemont, Top Offer, Wrote, Wrotham Heath, 40/1 BAR (EW ¼ 1,2,3)
