Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh – was it Camelot’s before it started?
The Curragh hosted the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on 30thJune, 2012, and it was none other than the Aidan O’Brien trained, Camelot, who landed the victory.
The son of Montjeu, out of mare Tarfah, collected the fifth victory of his career, and maintained his steady record throughout. Paired with his usual jockey Joseph O’Brien, winning was on the team’s mind as soon as the 1 mile and 4 furlong race began.
Courtesy of his swiftness, the three-year-old claimed the victory over the John M. Oxx trained, Born To Sea by a margin of 2 lengths, who was ridden by rider, Johnny Murtagh.
Born To Sea, looked in immensely good shape as he previously competed at the Royal Ascot, where he finished fourth in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes, but it was still a commendable performance, since he missed the victory narrowly by 2 lengths
to winner, Most Improved.
Maybe by his next performance, the son of Invincible Spirit, out of mare Urban Sea, will gear up and return to his winning form, which he demonstrated in his maiden.
Prior to the race, O’Brien had some major concerns about the ground, which was labelled, soft to heavy, but it was nothing that the talented colt could not handle.
The third place was secured by J.S. Bolger's charge, Light Heavy, who fell nine lengths behind the runner-up.
This was a bit of a setback for the chestnut colt, who succeeded in three starts before this, after completing a hat-trick. It looked like it would be his fourth consecutive win, but he also fell victim to the testing ground.
A lot of speculation was made about the John M. Oxx trained, Akeed Mofeed, before the race. Some speculated that he would be able to make a comeback in this race, while others assumed that he was not in the right form.
Unfortunately, the latter were correct, since Akeed Mofeed ended up in fourth place, 7 ½ lengths behind, Light Heavy, and 18 ½ lengths behind the winner.
The son of Dubawi’s form was questioned after it was announced that he went lame. He had been performing well in his work-outs, and gained the confidence of his connections.
Since, he was not in the right form; the Jaber Abdullah’s owned runner’s seasonal reappearance was delayed.
He previously competed in September, 2011, at the Curragh in the Group 2 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes, where he finished second to, David Livingston.
The fifth place was secured by Camelot’s stable-mate, Astrology. He was expected to perform well, but he finished 33 lengths after, Akeed Mofeed.
The line-up of the five runners were all expected to show the best skills they had, but in the end someone had to win and someone had to lose.
Camelot’s effort was greatly appreciated by Aidan O’Brien who told the media that:
"We really felt it wasn't the right thing (to run on this ground), but he's a great horse. He's a real fast ground horse. We appreciate all the hard work everyone's put in, the sponsors, the Curragh - I can't say how thrilled we are to be part of it.
It doesn't get any better than this. These are days you can't dream of.”
Camelot is now aspiring to be the first Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky claimed the title in, 1970.
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