Camelot unlikely for Neptune Investment Management Great Voltigeur Stakes at York
Aidan O’Brien’s unbeaten colt, Camelot, has entered the Neptune Investment Management Great Voltigeur Stakes, but his chances of taking part in the Group 2 event are very slim.
The winner of this season’s 2000 Guineas, Investec Derby and Irish Derby will be eyeing the Triple Crown glory in the Ladbrokes St Leger, to be held at Doncaster in September. The rampant colt will get either a proper outing or a racecourse ahead of his participation in the Doncaster battle.
"The St Leger is the race we're looking at and he'll either have a racecourse gallop or a race in between. We will do the same as after all the big races and wait a week before sitting down to discuss what will happen,” O’Brien said a few days ago.
He added: "To be honest, there aren't that many options between now and then. The Juddmonte International at York wouldn't be an ideal prep for the St Leger as he'd be coming back to a mile and a quarter - he is a strong traveller and we worked hard at getting him to settle."
Camelot is unlikely to use the Neptune Investment Management Great Voltigeur Stakes as his warm-up trip for the big event, as O’Brien has already been represented by many fascinating contestants.
The 1m4f event has attracted 43 entries, with O’Brien’s options crossing the double figures. With such a heavy representation, the handler is not expected to run his superstar runner in next month's race.
The line-up for the York competition also includes Main Sequence, Thomas Chippendale and Noble Mission. Main Sequence was runner-up behind Camelot in the Investec Derby at Epsom. On the other hand, Thomas Chippendale is brimming with confidence following his fantastic victory in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
John Gosden also has a strong hand in next month’s big meeting. His squad will be headed by Michelangelo, who was an easy winner at Newmarket last weekend. Meanwhile, Thought Worthy and Shantaram are also geared up to fancy their chances.
Although, Camelot’s involvement will make things a lot of interesting, O’Brien is not going to take any sort of risk before September’s Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes.
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