‘Real deal’ Camelot eyes Derby bid

His victory at Doncaster was mesmeric – 18-year-old Joseph O’Brien sat motionless in the saddle before the majestic colt, trained by his father Aidan at Ballydoyle, eased past his four rivals with contemptuous ease.

“He’s the real deal,” smiled the winning jockey who will hope that he can keep his weight in check so that he can retain the ride on a potential horse of a lifetime that is 3-1 to match Reference Point, High Chaparral, Motivator and Authorized in adding the Derby to Doncaster’s Grade One contest.

It will not be easy from the teenager’s perspective – former champion jockey Ryan Moore is rumoured to be joining Ballydoyle while O’Brien, who rides Camelot on the gallops every day, accepts that it is only a matter of time before his burgoening weight, he’s nearly 6ft tall, forces him to take up a National Hunt career.

Remarkably, this was only the Montjeu colt’s second appearance following a very moderate debut win at Leopardstown.

However, the O’Brien team have always held Camelot in the highest regard – hence last week’s sustained gamble – and their judgment was vindicated in scintillating style as the jockey recorded his first Grade One triumph in England.

“The data we were getting from him at home was showing up as something out of the ordinary,” said O’Brien senior who was winning the race for a sixth time. “Although you are only reading that stuff, he still had to come here and prove it.

“When the owners saw him at the sales they started thinking he might be something we hadn’t seen before and he came to hand so quickly, the only worry was the trainer might run him too often and destroy him!”

Connections of Zip Top and Fencing, who were second and third respectively, were magnanimous as Ladbrokes cut Camelot’s Derby odds to 3-1.

“Our horse has run a good race and I think he’ll find improvement into next year,” said Jim Bolger, who trained the runner-up.

Fencing’s trainer, John Gosden, added: “We’ve been beaten by an exceptional horse.”

Meanwhile Gosden’s stable jockey William Buick, who rode his 99th winner of the season at Doncaster, is set to have his first Melbourne Cup ride next week when he rides Godolphin’s Lost in the Moment,

Further evidence that Buick could be Frankie Dettori’s long-term successor at Godolphin, the booking is because the charismatic Italian cannot make the weight on the Goodwood Cup runner-up.

Sheikh Mohammed’s Australian stable jockey, Kerrin McEvoy, will ride Modun, Godolphin’s other entry.

Dettori also misses the second day of next month’s Breeders’ Cup meeting after picking up a careless riding ban (non-whip related) at Newbury on Saturday.

n Ruby Walsh’s whip ban at Aintree overshadowed the lacklustre run of two-time Champion Chase winner Master Minded in the Old Roan Chase.

Master Minded was well-beaten by an AP McCoy-inspired Albertas Run, the winner of Cheltenham’s Ryanair Chase, and the unfancied Pure Faith, following several jumping errors.

Though Master Minded’s owner Clive Smith played down the defeat, and said trainer Paul Nicholls might have under-estimated the horse’s fitness, it is difficult to see the eight-year-old challenging Long Run in Boxing Day’s King George Chase on this evidence.

As for Albertas Run, winning trainer Jonjo O’Neill said: “He’s a super little horse.

“He was getting 10lb off Master Minded and I’d imagine both horses will come on a lot for the run.”

Next month’s Amlin 1965 Chase at Ascot, or Haydock’s Betfair Chase, are potential targets.

n Sam Thomas will be reunited with Nacarat when Tom George’s grey defends his Charlie Hall Chase title at Wetherby on Saturday.

Thomas, who partnered the horse to victory 12 months ago, comes in for the ride due to the suspension of George’s number one jockey Paddy Brennan.

n Fingal Bay is set to reach the very top after victory in Chepstow’s Persian War Novices Hurdle for jockey Richard Johnson and trainer Philip Hobbs.

“We all dream, but he could be very good,” said Hobbs whose Fair Along seeks a third successive John Smith’s Hurdle victory at Wetherby on Saturday.

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