Camelot's win in the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday propelled him to 5/4 favourite for the Investec Derby at Epsom in June.
At this stage he is undoubtedly a worthy market meader as it is fair to come to the conclusion that he won the Guineas despite the trip, with the extra half-mile in the Derby likely to play to his strengths.
And the Guineas has performed well as a 'trial' for the Derby in recent years, with Sir Percy, New Approach and Sea The Stars all running, and winning in Sea The Stars' case, at Newmarket en-route to Epsom.
However, whether Camelot should be such a short price for further Classic glory is open to debate.
It remains to be seen how good the Guineas form will prove to be, but Timeform's initial rating of 123p for the Montjeu colt is the lowest winning-figure from the race in the last five years.
With Aidan O'Brien's charge odds-on in places for Epsom, it might be worth hunting around for some each-way value in the antepost market.
You'd have to think something will come out of the upcoming Derby trials and shorten up significantly in the betting, with key heats at Chester, Lingfield, York and Leopardstown set to take place in the coming weeks.
In the last 20 years the Dante Stakes at York has been the most significant trial for horses preparing for the Derby, with six winners graduating from the Knavesmire contest.
Significantly, four winners have come out of the Dante since 2004 so it really is recent history that has established the race as the pre-eminant trial.
The Ballysax Stakes and Derrinstown Stud Derby trials at Leopardstown hit a real purple patch at the turn of the century, with Sinndar, Galileo and High Chaparral all running in both before winning on the Downs.
Benny The Dip (1994) was the last Derby winner to contest the Sandown Classic Trial, High-Rise (1998) was the latest Lingfield Derby Trial winner to go onto Epsom glory while Oath (1999) won the Dee Stakes at Chester before triumphing in the big one.
The French trials received a boost last year when Prix Greffulhe winner Pour Moi won the Derby for Andre Fabre.
Here, Ben Linfoot looks at the 2012 trials that have taken place, while looking ahead to the key races in the coming weeks:
2012 Trials:
P.W McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes, Leopardstown, April 15:
Jim Bolger's LIGHT HEAVY was an impressive winner of the Ballysax, the Teofilo colt seeing out the 10 furlong trip well on his first try at the distance. He was cut to 12-1 for the Derby in the aftermath of the contest, but he isn't entered for Epsom and Bolger indicated he would go for the Irish equivalent. Punters will remember Bolger's New Approach won the Derby after being left in it by accident, but it would be some feat for the Irish handler to supplement this fellow by mistake.
Bet365 Classic Trial, Sandown, April 28:
Joseph O'Brien took the Notnowcato route on IMPERIAL MONARCH to win this Derby trial, a race that last produced the Derby winner in 1997 when Benny The Dip was second at Sandown before winning at York and Epsom. You have to go back to 1986 and Shahrastani to find the last winner of this race to prevail in the big one. Imperial Monarch is 16-1 to repeat the feat and that might not be such a bad price as he looks a really nice type and he's bred for the job. By a Derby winner (Galileo) out of a daughter of a Derby winner (Slip Anchor), he will thrive at the trip as he went some way to proving when he stayed on powerfully over the 10 furlongs at Sandown on heavy ground. However, there is a chance such ground conditions are what he ideally wants.
MBNA Chester Vase (May 10), Stobart Barristers Dee Stakes (May 11), Chester:
The 12-furlong Chester Vase hasn't produced a Derby winner in the last 20 years, with Quest For Fame in 1990 finishing second of three runners in the race on the Roodee before winning at Epsom. The Dee Stakes has had a more recent runner going on to Classic glory with Oath in 1999. Roger Varian's EKTIHAAM is entered in both Chester races and he was very impressive on his seasonal reappearance at Newbury. I'd expect him to go for the Dee Stakes but his stamina for the Derby trip is questionable, hence quotes of 33-1.
Betfred Derby Trial Stakes, Lingfield, May 12:
It's 14 years since High-Rise won this race before going on to win the Derby and looking at the six-day entries it could have little impact on the Epsom race again this year. John Gosden's Thought Worthy was beaten by Imperial Monarch at Sandown and John Oxx's Call To Battle was brushed aside by Light Heavy in the Ballysax - yet those two will be the main protagonists in this race if they turn up. At least we'll get a decent idea of the merits of the Ballysax and Sandown Classic Trial form if they do clash.
Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, Leopardstown, May 13:
You could say AIDAN O'BRIEN is the trainer to watch in this trial. He's won nine of the last 14 renewals, has 30 of the 45 entries this year and his two Derby winners, Galileo and High Chaparral both won this race before winning at Epsom. Naturally, you have to take notice of whatever he runs in this. Look out for John Oxx too. He's won this race twice with Sinndar and Alamshar, the first-named going on to Epsom glory. His Akeed Mofeed is second favourite for the Derby at the time of writing, and might be ready for this race after missing the Guineas through injury.
Betfred Dante Stakes, York, May 17:
Erhaab, Benny The Dip, North Light, Motivator and Authorized have all won the Dante and Derby in the last 20 years while Workforce was second on the Knavesmire before winning at Epsom in record time two years ago. It's become the most important trial and the trainers to follow are Sir Michael Stoute and Aidan O'Brien. Stoute, in particular, uses this race for his very best horses, with his last two Derby winners running in the Dante before winning at Epsom. However, perhaps it's a sign of the times at Freemason Lodge that he doesn't hold an entry in the race this year. One to watch out for could be Godolphin's MANDAEN. They last won the race in 2002 with Moon Ballad who went on to finish third in High Chaparral's Derby. Mandaen wandered all over the place in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud on his final start at two, but still won with ease. He looks a decent prospect.
