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| Source: The Racing Post |
The Epsom hero took a drop in class to contest the Group 3
Mooresbridge Stakes at the Kildare track, and he duly obliged for punters at
cramped odds of 1/3 with a narrow win. The best of the rest in the betting was last year’s Dewhurst
winner, Parish Hall, while the others were rated vastly inferior to Camelot’s
mark of 124. Carrying 9-8, Camelot brushed off muted murmurs of doubt after his
capitulation in October’s Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France.
Camelot broke well on Monday, and jockey Joseph O’Brien held
him up at the back of the field, while stablemate Triumphant set a strong pace
under Seamus Heffernan. Turning the home bend, Camelot was still at the back of
the five runner field as Triumphant started to get swallowed up by his
pursuers. After travelling sweetly the whole way round, Joseph O’Brien got to
work on Camelot two furlongs out, and there was an immediate turn of foot from
the four-year-old. There was a slight moment of worry for favourite backers
when Camelot struggled slightly to go by his rivals, and it was only inside the
final 200 yards he finally asserted his dominance. He ranged up to pass his stable
companion inside the last strides, and went on to record a 1¾ length victory.
Triumphant held on for second, while Jim Bolger’s Parish Hall underperformed in
third.
The performance was not what you would call impressive for a
horse that only missed out on the Triple Crown last term at the final hurdle.
There was an air of doubt after Camelot was forced into undergoing surgery for
colic over the winter, but trainer Aidan O’Brien declared himself “delighted”
with the reappearance.
Speaking in post-race interviews, the master of Ballydoyle
said: “I'm delighted with that. He had big colic surgery in the winter and you
never really know what is going to happen, but he has all his class and speed
still so it's great.” O’Brien also recognised the severity of the surgery,
calling it a “massive” operation, and also said the team “were lucky” to have
him at all.
Camelot underwent the surgery over the winter break for the
colic that was used as an excuse for his poor showing in the Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe last year. He went to Coolmore after the surgery, and was away from
Aidan O’Brien for months, but the Champion trainer was “surprised” at the shape
he was in when he came back.
Jockey Joseph O’Brien said the horse was at around 70 per
cent fitness, and will come on for his seasonal debut. Aidan also declared his
intentions for Camelot for the coming season, and his next outing will be in
the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on May 26. All going well there, he
will then be sent to the Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Relive this classic winning colt's glittering career to date in my five minute radio package below.
