Triple Crown Sentiment

First things first: Camelot going for the St Leger would be a welcome diversion from the norm’ and a much-needed shot in the arm for a race dying on its feet. Still, call me a sceptic, but is all this Triple Crown stuff also handy for keeping out of Frankel’s way?
Parse down the post-Derby comments from Messrs Magnier and Smith and it would be easy to conclude that a couple of old codgers have gone all sentimental. And maybe they have. But it’s short odds about it being a novel experience for both of them.
One of the most famous observations made about Magnier over the years is that the softest thing about the Coolmore boss is his teeth. The bloodstock empire he has built up is a resolutely commercial enterprise where the bottom line counts.
It is true that no Coolmore owned horse has been in the situation Camelot is in now, with a Guineas and a Derby under his belt, so it is virgin territory for all concerned in terms of what to do about a possible Triple Crown bid.
The Sea The Stars team decided to go down the ten furlong route before aiming at the Arc and anyone still prepared to criticise them for doing so should remember that getting the better of Rip Van Winkle, Fame And Glory and Mastercrafsman can hardly be regarded as a cop-out.
There is also the consideration that the Leger is hardly an obvious trial for the Arc which remains the definitive test for any European middle-distance horse.
Plenty still believe winning the Leger cost Nijinsky the Arc. Shergar never ran again after it. Alleged managed to win two Arcs but got beaten in the Leger. By its nature, the world’s oldest classic is a tough ‘gimme.’
So is it offside to wonder that if Frankel wasn’t on the scene, and presumably on the verge of being stepped up to ten furlongs, would Camelot be going down a more predictable route?
The Triple Crown is a hell of an achievement, and by definition requires a special talent to pull it off. And the kudos for beating up on some more three year olds might even deflect attention away from not having taken on Frankel in what really would be a clash for the ages.
But that’s probably too unsentimental a tack to take.
Is a “one-of-those-things” attitude sufficient to explain what happened at Tramore on Friday evening where four horses were killed?
One broke a shoulder jumping a fence but the three others all picked up fatal injuries on the flat in a similar scenario to one of the festival meetings last August when four fatalities also took place.
There’s no doubt Tramore is a desperately tricky track when ground conditions are quick. The point has been made that the surface was well-watered on Friday and that it was safe.
But steps could have to be taken watering-wise to slow things down at Tramore to a greater extent than would be considered anywhere else because this is a rate-of-attrition that is hard to stand over.
And there’s something else that’s hard to stand over: are bookies taking the you-know-what about Black Caviar’s odds for Royal Ascot in less than three weeks time?
The best odds about the Aussie superstar in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes are 1-2: this about a mare travelling from the other side of the world into an unfamiliar racing environment.
Sure, Aussies sprinters have a good record at Ascot and yes, sprinting in this part of the world is strictly second division stuff in terms of priority. And Black Caviar is bringing a huge reputation with her, something that could have been said about So You Think too. She may very well hose up but these odds are ridiculous.
The upside from a punting point of view is there may be decent each-way value siding with more familiar names.
Society Rock for instance is an in-and-out character but he did win the race last year and returned to action at York with a third to Tiddliwinks that saw him overcome a slow start and interference.
It would be fanciful to suggest Society Rock has a depth of quality to match Black Caviar. However on his home patch, his odds look a lot more attractive.