CAMELOT COULD start the hottest favourite in more than 100 years for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby after confirmation that the unbeaten three-year-old superstar is being targeted at the Curragh on Saturday week.
The Aidan O’Brien team indicated yesterday that the brilliant Epsom Derby and Newmarket Guineas winner will lead a substantial Ballydoyle team into the premier classic which is being run on a Saturday evening for the first time.
O’Brien’s wife Anne Marie said: “Aidan is planning to run Camelot in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby but no final decision has been taken yet. He always has a few horses in the race and the other horses ([Imperial Monarch, Astrology, Athens] are still all in the mix. It will be the weekend before plans are finalised.”
Paddy Power Immediately installed Camelot as a red-hot favourite going 2 to 7 and 8 to 1 the rest.
“He’s the best three-year-old in town and the O’Brien horses are flying,” said a spokesman.
Dermot Weld intents to send his nine-length Gallinule Stakes winner Speaking Of Which to this year’s classic renewal.
John Oxx, like Weld a double Irish Derby victor in the past, aims to run Akeed Mofeed and Call To Battle in the race while Light Heavy, winner of the Derrinstown Trial and the Ballysax, remains Jim Bolger’s best hope of another Irish Derby success, two decades after the first with St Jovite in 1992.
