THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND?
   Sent off the 15-8 favorite, Derrick Smith's unbeaten Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) duly delivered to provide his late sire with a first mile Classic win after a pulsating climax to yesterday's G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Settled off the pace racing among the group towards the stand's side, the G1 Racing Post Trophy hero sliced between rivals to lead with 150 yards remaining and held off French Fifteen (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire}) to score by a neck, with another French raider Hermival (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) 2 1/4 lengths back in third. "He has a lot of class and speed and I was always happy," commented Joseph O'Brien after showing panache beyond his years when steering his first English Classic winner. "He was nice and relaxed and, although I didn't get the best of runs through and was very far back, I always felt like I was getting there. He might have got a bit tired in the last 100 yards, but it was his first start of the season, and he will be a lot better going further."

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
QIPCO 2000 GUINEAS S. (204TH RUNNING)-G1, £376,500, Newmarket, 5-5, 3yo, c/f, 1mT, 1:42.46, gd/sf.
1--CAMELOT (GB), 126, c, 3, by Montjeu (Ire)
        1st Dam: Tarfah (GSW-Eng, $151,683), by Kingmambo
        2nd Dam: Fickle (GB), by Danehill
        3rd Dam: Fade (GB), by Persepolis (Fr)
(525,000gns '10 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Sheikh Abdulla Bin Isa Al-Khalifa; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Joseph O'Brien; £213,513. Lifetime Record: Co. Ch. 2yo Colt-Eng, Hwt. 2yo Colt-Eng & Ire, 3-3-0-0, £355,192. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--French Fifteen (Fr), 126, c, 3, Turtle Bowl (Ire)--Spring Morning (Fr), by Ashkalani (Ire). (€30,000 yrl '10 ARQAUG). O-Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani; B-Gilles & Aliette Forien; T-Nicolas Clement; £80,948.
3--Hermival (Ire), 126, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)--Bibi Karam (Ire), by Persian Bold (Ire). (€75,000 yrl '10 GOFSPT). O-Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani; B-Mohammad Al Qatami & Hugo Merry; T-Mikel Delzangles; £40,511.
Margins: NK, 2 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 15-8, 12-1, 16-1.
Also Ran: Trumpet Major (Ire), Coupe de Ville (Ire), Fencing, Ptolemaic (GB), Abtaal, Caspar Netscher (GB), Redact (Ire), Red Duke, Born to Sea (Ire), Boomerang Bob (Ire), Saigon (GB), Bronterre (GB), Top Offer (GB), Power (GB), Talwar (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree.

   Camelot produced a striking debut over a mile at Leopardstown in mid-July, despite a lack of strength in the opposition both in terms of numbers and quality, and was then left alone by his intuitive trainer until the Racing Post Trophy Oct. 22. His dashing display on the back of a heavy gamble for that contest was confirmation of his above-average ability and earned him champion juvenile status as a result. Having earned rave reviews from his trainer in the immediate aftermath of his Doncaster rout, Ballydoyle had turned eerily quiet about him this spring, and the public had only a brief sighting of his dash in a racecourse workout at The Curragh in March to satisfy curiosity. While his obvious talent was in no doubt, to win here, the impressive-looking bay would have to bury two hoodoos. The first was the record of Racing Post Trophy winners, with none having doubled up since High Top (Ire) 40 years ago, although since Doncaster's track was relaid in 2007, it has begun to favor the speedier types. Secondly, and more importantly for Aidan O'Brien, of the small section of Montjeu's progeny to have been tried in the major mile tests, only to fail was St Nicholas Abbey (Ire), so berated after being sent off the hot favorite here two years ago. On top of that, the colt with the fast-ground action would have to show he could handle a slow surface and was a high-pressure ride for his precocious, but inexperienced jockey.
   As can happen at Newmarket when the rain has come and there is a large field, the field split into three groups racing wide apart, but the favorite appeared to be in the right bunch led along by Trumpet Major (Ire) (Arakan) towards the stands. Joseph O'Brien was riding with maximum confidence and was still at the tail-end by halfway, before setting him alight three furlongs out and pushing him between G3 Greenham S. hero Caspar Netscher (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) and Trumpet Major passing the furlong marker. French Fifteen and Olivier Peslier covered his move and while it looked for a few yards as if he might upset the favorite, Camelot dug in to prevail as they drew clear of the far-side's clear-best Hermival. Qipco's Champion Series is accompanied by sectional timing in most of the races this season, and it was announced afterwards that Camelot had clocked furlong splits of 12.01 and 12.11 from three out to one out. The June 1 G1 Epsom Derby now beckons, but the master of Ballydoyle was keeping his counsel on a possible Triple Crown bid.
   "We knew that Camelot had a lot against him statistically, but we always thought he was very special," Aidan O'Brien said after greeting his sixth winner of the Classic. "He's out of a Kingmambo mare who is out of a Danehill mare and has strong crosses of both of those in him as well as Montjeu, so that's why we were worried about the soft ground. I had a view of what Joseph should do on him, as I was worried about him riding a horse for pace like that in that ground, but I'm glad I didn't say anything now. He said he'd be closer to last than first at halfway and I'm glad I bit my tongue. I felt I destroyed St Nicholas Abbey in this race two years ago, and it's only now that he's starting to get his brilliance back now, so I learnt a lot from that. The way it always is we go home and the lads will speak about it, but the Derby will be something to talk about. You'd imagine, the Derby would be a very suitable race for him."