Unbeaten Camelot on course for Epsom Derby

Trainer Aidan O'Brien on Monday paraded Group 1 Derby favorite Camelot at a

media morning organized by Epsom Downs Racecourse and Investec at his Ballydoyle

Stable in County Tipperary and is counting down the days until the premier

classic on June 2. O'Brien is chasing a third Derby victory following success

with Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002).

O'Brien's 18-year-old son Joseph will be in the saddle again at Epsom Downs,

and the trainer believes the Montjeu colt has benefited from his victory in the

Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas May 5.

Camelot is currently the 4-5 favorite for the Derby with William Hill,

Official Betting Partner of the 2012 Derby Festival.

"The Derby is the obvious race for Camelot," Aidan O'Brien said, "and

hopefully when the time comes he will be there in good shape. We are not going

to do an awful lot between now and then -- we will just let him go naturally.

"We think he learned a lot in the Guineas. He settled and ran through the

gaps and had to fight. Joseph wanted to teach him a bit because we never had to

ask him a lot at two. He won both his races very easily and hadn't been off the

bridle or shown the stick or anything like that.

"You don't know about Epsom until you go there -- you worry about everything

including the day, the atmosphere and going to the start. He behaved beautifully

at the Guineas and is very relaxed and calm but, as you would expect with a

horse with that explosive burst of speed, he does have a lot of nervous energy

in there.

"He kept on going when he was pulling up at Newmarket and I've not seen

anything to suggest he wouldn't get further.

"I don't want to blow the horse up in any way, but everyone can see he's a

very good looking and good-actioned horse, and those horses are often too good

to be true. The Derby is one of those things I wouldn't even dream about because

I'd be afraid to."

Speaking about the fact his Joseph is set to ride Camelot, the trainer added:

"It's been great for all of us, from the time Joseph has been able to walk he's

been in the middle of it all here -- both the good days and the bad days. He's a

massive help for us and before he could ride out he was going in the Jeep with

us."

O'Brien is still finalizing his team for the Derby.

"We've got a lot of different options there with the likes of Astrology,

Imperial Monarch, maiden winners and Ernest Hemingway, who is a beautiful big

horse," he said. "He will go for the Dante (Group 2 at York) on Thursday if the

ground is good or better but it is doubtful he'd go to Epsom if he misses York.

Whether the boys would let all of them go to Epsom, I don't know.

"We haven't won the Derby in a number of years, so we are very used to coming

home every year very humbled. All these horses are bred and reared for Epsom,

and the Derby is the race that shapes the breed."

O'Brien could have three representatives in the Group 1 Oaks on June 1.

"Maybe and Kissed will go straight for Epsom, and we could look at the race

for Was, who we might run at Naas (in the Group 3 Blue Wind Wednesday), as well.

"Wading didn't come right in the spring, and I don't want to force her so I'd

be surprised if she makes Epsom."