Camelot Into 8/11 for Investec Derby
- By A.J. Ryder on May 24, 2012 18:35 GMT
The premier flat horse of the current UK season looms large over a talented field ahead of the widely-anticipated Investec Derby at Epsom on June 2. There's a lot to like about this race and the talented O'Brien-trained colt will probably be beat down to an even shorter price on the day – with a view towards 1/2 or even 4/11 looking like realistic possibilities if the momentum continues.
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Valued-oriented handicappers will be scouring the additional contenders looking for any angles that might be in play. Surely to get an edge on many of the others is the talented Bonfire, who got his season off to a rollicking start in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York last week. A Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-Pocahontas venture, the Andrew Balding-trained colt put in a smooth stalking trip to nab Ektihaam by three-quarters of a length.
He looks very progressive and boasts a very interesting breeding combination. He's by German sire Manduro and is out of an American Night Shift mare named Night Frolic. Having conquered 1m2.5f in the Dante, he will be primed for Derby excellence.
As it currently stands, punters will find Bonfire trading in the neighbourhood of 5/1 or even 6/1.
Main Sequence enters the race undefeated but taking a significant step up in class. He is taking money and boasts an interesting variance in prices with some bookmakers pricing him around 10/1 and others feeling as though he's worth a 14/1 payout. He opened the season with a handicap score at Newmarket before shipping to Lingfield to take the Group 3 Derby Trial Stakes.
He was sent off as the 3/1 second favourite and was a popular nap by many. John Gosen's Shantaram was well-beaten on the day and looks good having already scored at 1m4f.
Other notables include Imperial Monarch, Parish Hall and the intriguing colt Astrology. A number of withdrawals have removed a few contenders from the mix and this one looks set to be very interesting from an ante post perspective over the coming days and weeks.
