RACING NEWS

GROUND CONDITIONS at Newmarket could be a problem for the hugely-talented Camelot in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained three-year-old aims to become the first son of Montjeu to win the Rowley Mile Classic, and it would be particularly poignant if he could strike in the year the top-class racehorse and sire passed away.

While Montjeu’s progeny generally act well with cut in the ground, Camelot showed a brilliant turn of foot on a sound surface to run away with last season’s Racing Post Trophy.

Big-race rider Joseph O’Brien admits they will be going into the unknown if the ground does not dry out ahead of the weekend, with the ground officially soft yesterday morning after 25 millimetres of rain.

“He has a high cruising speed and ticks the right boxes. I’d be hoping he’d run a nice race,” O’Brien junior told At The Races.

“I have to have a question mark over the ground. He’s a very good moving horse and won both starts last year on good ground. The ground at the weekend is an unknown, but we won’t know until he goes and does it.”

Another major challenger from these shores is the John Oxx-trained Born To Sea. The son of Invincible Spirit has plenty to live up to as a half-brother to Sea The Stars, whose victory in the 2009 Guineas kicked off an unbeaten three-year-old year.

Oxx has been happy with how his colt has gone at home in recent weeks and he does not expect the ground conditions to cause too many problems. “The weather hasn’t hindered us at all. The horse has had a good preparation and he hasn’t missed any work,” said Oxx.

A total of 18 colts are set to face the starter, with Jim Bolger’s Parish Hall the one notable absentee following the declaration stage.