The Derby ( Group 1)
June 2, 2012
It could be the best Derby in years.
The case for Camelot is strong and convincing.
He was a very impressive winner of the Racing Post Trophy last year in the style of St Nicholas Abbey. He then added the 2000 Guineas when coming through the field to cosily win from French Fifteen. He is bred for middle distances so to win the Guineas as he did spells class, class of a very special kind.
The Derby sees its smallest field since 1907. The main protagonists we envisaged to see are at home. No Akeed Mofeed, no Parish Hall .
It’s left to Bonfire to test the quality of Camelot. Thankfully he is a colt who can put it up to Camelot. In Paris last autumn he was an unlucky loser in the Criterium International at Saint Cloud. He saw daylight too late but when he did get a run he quickened and the 1 3/4 L he went down to French Fifteen was fast diminishing. After missing Chester, because of the weather, he got back on the course in the Dante at York. Always a top drawer Derby trial he did it well in a battling performance winning 3/4 L from Ekithamm. Andrew Balding’s concern going to York was that if he had a hard race recovery time was tight going to the Derby. Truth is, it was a hard enough race and this will be a concern for the Balding team come post time.
Astrology showed himself to be no mug when winning the Dee Stakes by 11 L while Main Sequence can hardly be accused of doing anything wrong being unbeaten in four including the Lingfield Derby Trial. Thought Worthy couldn’t cope with the rerouted Imperial Monarch in the Sandown Classic Trial and Mickdaam, a Chester Vase winner would be a big surprise considering what he showed in four runs at Meyden.
The measure here is French Fifteen. Camelot beat him, Bonfire with a clear run could have beaten him.
We’ll have a battle with three horses in it, Camelot, Bonfire and Astrology. In the last two furlongs these three will fight it out, class will win, the class will come from Camelot, just.
