IT IS four years since Aidan O’Brien last tasted British classic success, but the champion trainer confirmed yesterday he is working to change that statistic in Saturday week’s 2,000 Guineas with Camelot.
The unbeaten son of Montjeu is already as low as evens favourite for the opening European classic of 2012 after significant ante-post support last week and O’Brien is aiming him at Newmarket’s mile highlight despite expressing doubts about the Racing Post Trophy winner going for the Guineas earlier in the season.
“We are working towards that with both Power and Camelot,” the Ballydoyle trainer said. “Maybe will run in the 1,000 Guineas. We may have others in the race but Maybe is the main one.”
O’Brien memorably completed the 2,000-1,000 Guineas seven years ago with Footstepsinthesand and Virginia Waters and the unbeaten Maybe is also a hot favourite for Sunday week’s fillies classic at Newmarket.
That opens up the possibility of a remarkable family classic double with O’Brien’s son Joseph the regular rider of both Camelot and Maybe.
O’Brien Jnr was on board Infanta Branca when that juvenile became the first winner on the racecourse for the young stallion Henrythenavigator at the Curragh yesterday and that horse was the last English classic winner for Ballydoyle in the 2,000 Guineas of 2008. Power is set to accompany Camelot in this year’s colts classic despite a setback in training earlier in the year and is a possible mount for Ryan Moore who rode him to finish behind Parish Hall in last October’s Dewhurst Stakes.
Parish Hall is likely to return to Newmarket again and Irish hopes will also rest on John Oxx’s Born To Sea who will attempt to emulate the Guineas success of 2009 for his half-brother Sea The Stars.
One horse unlikely to line up in the 2,000 Guinas though is Tales Of Grimm with trainer Michael Stoute reluctant to run him after missing out on Saturday’s Greenham Stakes due to the soft ground conditions.
“I didn’t want to run him because of the ground and I don’t know what I’m going to do. I need to speak to the owners again,” said Stoute yesterday. “I’m reluctant to run him in the Guineas. Golan won the Guineas on his second start but I’m not sure whether this horse would be equipped for it as they are different types.”
Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins can open Punchestown festival week with a winner at Cork this evening where the decent bumper performer Supreme Carolina lines up for a mares maiden hurdle. Paul Carberry is another jockey with an enviable book of festival rides over the following five days and he could be on the mark in the following maiden on board Casimir Road who ran third to Authinger at Tramore nine days ago.
