Camelot can keep unbeaten record in 2000 Guineas

By Stephen, bettingexpert.com | Published 00:00 05.05.2012

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Aidan O'Brien's highly regarded Camelot is selected to land a fiercely competitive renewal of the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket this afternoon.

The Montjeu colt has always been in the top bracket at the powerful Ballydoyle operation, winning readily on his Leopardstown debut last July before landing a string of huge wagers in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster three months later. On the face of it he has only beaten eight rivals in two runs, and the bare form itself is largely untested but such is the manner of those victories, he will surely prove too classy for a huge field of exciting prospects.

Main danger for the 376,500 prize money may come from French Fifteen. The prolific French raider has won six of his eight career starts and has the advantage of race toughness and an ability to handle eased ground on his side. Olivier Peslier has plenty of experience at this level and a high draw in sixteen is another positive.

Trumpet Major had seemed rather exposed as a juvenile during a busy campaign, but he posted a career best effort on seasonal debut when winning the Group 3 Craven over this course and distance 16 days ago. While that may have been a substandard renewal (and he had the best draw in 12 of 12), Richard Hannon's charge is again in the box seat in stall 18 and has Richard Hughes on board.

Born to Sea promises to be suited by this step up in trip after just two starts as a 2-y-o over 6f and 7f. He was an expensive failure when last seen out in a Group 3 at Leopardstown, but that was rather a muddling affair and the John Oxx yard rarely "wastes" runs on this side of the water unless he believes he has something really special.

Power appears the Ballydoyle second string on jockey arrangements, but his profile was steadily progressive last season, culminating with a narrow defeat in a bunched finish to the Group 1 Dewhurst over 7f at this course. The mile trip should be well within his range after seven months on the sidelines and it will be interesting to see how he fares in the market near the off.

Top Offer has attracted good cash in the ante-post exchanges in the past few weeks. Roger Charlton's Dansili colt created a lasting impression when winning a Newbury maiden on his debut last August and has had this race as a target since. He fits into the "could be anything" bracket and his yard have made an excellent start on the turf in the opening weeks.

Abtaal is a progressive French raider from the Jean-Claude-Rouget yard who has improved with every one of his four runs on native soil and is another entitled to respect, while Caspar Netscher has always been the apple of his small trainer's eye and impressed in a substandard Greenham 14 days ago.

In summary, a wide open contest that will throw up scores of future winners in the coming months. Soft ground is an imponderable, but Camelot will be primed for this race and has to be the selection under Joseph O'Brien. At around 2-1 this morning he is worth a win investment to swoop in the closing stages.

Stephen's Saturday Nap Four Nations 3.30 Goodwood

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