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Camelot Odds-On for Derby with Most Firms
22/05/12

With the days ticking away to the 2012 running of the Investec Derby at Epsom, on June 2, most firms are now betting odds-on that the impressive Qipco 2000 Guineas winner, Camelot, will follow up on the Surrey Downs, and place himself in line to have a crack at the St Leger, becoming the first horse since Nijinsky, in 1970, to land the Triple Crown, writes Elliot Slater.

Camelot
© Caroline Norris

The Aidan O’Brien-trained three-year-old is unbeaten in three career starts, having won on his debut at Leopardstown, in July, before strolling to an imperious success in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy over a mile at Doncaster, in October, where he showed a clean pair of heels to Zip Top, scoring with little apparent effort by more than two lengths.

Given a confident ride by teenage sensation, Joseph O’Brien, the son of Montjeu came from well down the field to lead inside the final furlong at Newmarket, on May 5, in the first colts’ classic of the season. He dug deep, and was probably value for more than the winning margin of a neck, when defeating France’s French Fifteen to set himself up for a potential classic treble, this term.

The vibes from Ballydoyle have been increasingly confident, in recent days, after the main Derby trials appear to have revealed few horses capable of giving Camelot too much trouble.

However, Bonfire’s Dante success and the victory of the progressive former handicapper, Main Sequence, at Lingfield, indicate that Camelot has to do rather more than just turn up to win one of the world’s greatest horse races.

Most firms are now odds-on on a Camelot victory at Epsom, with the last of the even money all but gone, and 5/6 a general best offer. Bonfire, trained by Ian Balding, and a cosy winner on the Knavesmire, recently, is a solid 6/1 second-favourite in the Epsom Derby betting tips. Main Sequence is offered at 14/1, and it is 16/1, bar the three.

Visit http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/royal-ascot/ for more information on betting on the upcoming race calendar.