Russian Camelot

By Matt Stewart, Racing Editor

Is there a horse in Australia that can raise its head above the pack?

The first hint of an answer might come at the trials tomorrow when Russian Camelot springs the gates at Cranbourne.

Russian Camelot’s star did not plummet last spring but it faded.

A brave second after a wide run in the Makybe Diva Stakes appeared an exciting platform for the exotic Northern Hemisphere-bred colt and his second-up Underwood Stakes win appeared to set him up as the X-factor horse from this under-performing corner of the racing world.

But a subsequent defeat to Arcadia Queen in the Caulfield Stakes, then a well-held third to so-so internationals Sir Dragonet and Armory in the Cox Plate, then an honourable but fading eighth in the Melbourne Cup, consigned Russian Camelot to a mere face in the pack.

But Russian Camelot wandered off stage in early November as at least a horse with wriggle room.

Being Northern Hemisphere-bred, he was always six months behind and while trainer Danny O’Brien insisted Russian Camelot had been mature enough to absorb his spring agenda, there was also a sense that he was playing catch-up.

There had been a wow factor about him since his South Australian Derby win at just his fourth start the previous May and it was as much about his style and swagger as his turn of foot and scope.

But he never quite looked the part in the spring. He was the most observed horse in the pre-parade ring prior to the Makybe Diva and while there was certainly something there, some astute observers thought he looked “babyish.”

O’Brien reported a few days ago that Russian Camelot had thrived during his break, piling on 30 kilograms. Physically, he appears to have “caught up.”

From Cranbourne, Russian Camelot might have a first-up dip at the Futurity Stakes in a fortnight prior to the All Star Mile and then a fairly brief autumn that might round off in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.

It’s hard to gauge the challenge that will confront Russian Camelot and whether he can raise his head above his rivals and prove to the world that when we don’t have a Winx, we can at least generate horses capable of making “the list.”

The Longines ratings are riddled with inconsistencies but the basement ratings of our best horses Arcadia Queen, Russian Camelot and Verry Elleegant on the recent rankings was sobering.

They ranked equal 41st on the “best horse lists.”

Glass half full administrators can explain this away all they like, by distracting us with the relatively high rankings of our sprinters, but the dim recognition of our best middle distance horses reflects the desperate need for horses to advance from the ruck.

The three-year-olds are “even”, which is a nice way of saying average.

Ole Kirk is worth the equivalent of a block of units in Bondi after winning “stallion” races the Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas, but he wasn’t super dominant in either of those races last spring.

Hot-pots went under left, right and centre on a shifting track at Randwick yesterday, so there may be some excuse, but Ole Kirk was just fair.

Ditto another of last spring’s better three-year-olds, Crosshaven, in the Orr at Caulfield.

Probabeel, Arcadia Queen, Russian Camelot and Sir Dragonet are our best horses but they are not turnstile clickers.

There had been a hope that Sir Dragonet would have launched off the Cox Plate and found a sharp length under the care of Maher/Eustace, but he plodded in the Orr. The gloss is off.

Arcadia Queen is a top notch mare – even if Longines reckons she’s a global no-name – but she has hit her ceiling

Probabeel was mighty at Caulfield yesterday and is marching towards being truly elite but not elite enough to steal the back page, no matter what she wins.

With Russian Camelot, though, there is still a sense of what might be.