BETTING BOX |
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FIXED ODDS |
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 | 2pts win Camelot in 2000 Guineas at 7/4 (Paddy Power, Blue Square). | Could be something very special and looks the best horse in the race. |
| 1pt e.w. Born To Sea in 2000 Guineas at 9/1 (1/4 1,2,3, Stan James, Betfred). | Most interesting rival to the favourite and can hit the frame. |
Camelot has been the hot favourite throughout the winter for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas despite Aidan O'Brien not really committing the colt to the race until a few weeks ago.
I think he was waiting to see if he would just come to hand and it is certainly a promising sign now that he is keen to run him.
There are plenty of people who think he is too short in the betting as they point to Montjeu having a poor record with his progeny at a mile and they need further but if he is the best horse in the race than that is the answer.
He looked superb when winning the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster and I think there are one or two indications that the form is not too bad.
Fencing was no match for him in third that day but had beaten Telwaar previously at Newbury and that horse has since won this season's Free Handicap at Newmarket.
The fourth horse Learn was then quite a close fourth in the Group 1 Grand Criterium at Saint-Cloud behind French Fifteen, with the latter one of Camelot's rivals here.
The fifth horse in the Racing Post Trophy, Talwar, won at Lingfield and has been supplemented for this race so there are some quite positive signs from that form in my opinion.
If the same Camelot turns up in the 2000 Guineas then he is going to take an enormous amount of beating.
There is a slight question mark over the softening ground as he is such a good-moving colt but a lot of Montjeu stock do go well with cut in the ground.
I don't think the mile will be a problem either as he showed a sparkling turn of foot at Doncaster and is not short of gears.
He stands out to me but the one very interesting rivals is John Oxx's Born To Sea, who has had just two starts so far.
He had an excuse when beaten by Nephrite last October at Leopardstown having created a really good impression first time out in Listed company at the Curragh.
The big thing is his pedigree as he is out of that great mare Urban Sea, who has produced the likes of Sea The Stars and Galileo, so it is just a fantastic bloodline.
The French are represented by Hermival, Abtaal and French Fifteen, who have been beating each other in their own country.
Trumpet Major has good recent form and was an impressive winner of the Craven Stakes, Top Offer looked decent in a maiden at Newbury while Power was second in the Dewhurst Stakes and could be in the thick of things with Ryan Moore in the saddle.
I know it is unoriginal, but Camelot could be something special with Born To Sea the each-way selection.
