Ready Camelot Replacement for O'Brien

Trainer Danny O'Brien wasted no time in finding a replacement for recently retired Russian Camelot (Camelot-Lady Babooshka, by Cape Cross) when he unveiled debut winner Hengroen (Camelot-Princess Aurora, by Mr. Greeley) last week, reports racing.com. "He's the same formula as Russian Camelot," O'Brien said. "He was bought by Mat Becker (Gr1 Bloodstock) as a yearling in France at Arqana, and we were actually the underbidder on him, so we were very pleased when Mat decided to send him to us. He was really good there at Pakenham last night, and he's going to get better as he gets up in distance… he's by a terrific stallion in Camelot (Montjeu) and he's a really good sort of horse in his own right." The 2018 born colt is six months behind his locally bred 3YO peers. "Right now, he's only an early season three-year-old," O'Brien said. "We've been a little bit more patient with him, he wasn't quite as precocious as Russian Camelot, who ran in the spring as a 2YO. He can probably just stay in Victoria over the next couple of months, there are some good later-season 3YO races at 2000m and beyond here at Flemington and Caulfield here through June and July. They are a good chance for him to get a bit of a grounding and then we'll see where he finishes up after that." Purchased for €100,000 at the 2019 Arqana Yearling Sale, Hengroen is out of an unraced half-sister to stakes winners Willard Straight (Lion Cavern) and Jesse's Justice (Lear Fan). Camelot (Montjeu-Tarfah, by Kingmambo) has left 35 stakes-winners of which seven are Group 1 winners including Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet. Recently retired Russian Camelot will stand at Widden's Victorian farm for the 2021 breeding season at a fee of $22,000.