Camelot: three-time Classic winner heads mighty Leger entry from O'Brien
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)O'Brien plays it safe with 11 entries in the St Leger
AIDAN O'BRIEN may have red-hot favourite Camelot entered in the Ladbrokes St Leger but he is taking no chances in his bid to become the first trainer to complete a clean sweep of British Classics as he is responsible for almost a third of the 36 entries.
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As well as the Triple Crown-seeking Camelot, O'Brien has entered ten others for the Classic he has won three times before including Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris scorer Imperial Monarch, Derby third Astrology, Father Of Science and the unexposed Chamonix.
Camelot, who completed a Derby double when following up his Epsom win with success in the Irish equivalent is 2-5 with the sponsors to become the 16th horse to complete the Triple Crown and the first since Nijinsky in 1970.
A sell-out crowd is expected at Doncaster on September 15 where John Gosden could also have a strong representation. Great Heavens, impressive winner of Sunday's Irish Oaks figures among his five entries.
Sir Henry Cecil, who has been successful in the St Leger on four occasions, could this year be represented by Royal Ascot winner Thomas Chippendale.
Barry Simpson, racing manager to the colt's owner Sir Robert Ogden, said: "It's quite possible that Thomas Chippendale will head to Doncaster.
"We have two races in mind for him - the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood and the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York - and at the moment he will probably run at York. He would have to win or be a very unlucky loser in either of those races to warrant going for the Ladbrokes St Leger."
Simpson continued: "He has come out of Royal Ascot in great shape. He's an uncomplicated horse, who is very straightforward and I don't think that we would have any concern about his stamina for the Ladbrokes St Leger.
"Our view is that he is pretty good over a mile and a half and that he has a good turn of foot over that distance. I don't think that an extra two furlongs will make an awful lot of difference to him but you don't know until you try over that trip."
Mike Dillon of Ladbrokes was delighted that this year's entry matched last year's with the presence of a short-priced favourite.
"The very high quality of this year's entries confirms the renaissance of the Ladbrokes St Leger," he said. "To have 36 entered - the same number as last year - when everyone knows that Camelot is going for the Triple Crown is marvellous."
Derby runner-up Main Sequence and HM the Queen's Estimate, herself a winner at Royal Ascot, are other interesting entries.
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