Athena takes G1 Belmont Oaks for remarkable Camelot

Fabulous Camelot enjoyed his second G1 success in less than a week in New York on Saturday evening when Athena (3f Camelot-Cherry Hinton, by Green Desert) landed the G1 Belmont Oaks Invitational.

Aidan O’Brien sent over the first-crop Camelot filly, who had raced just six days earlier at the Curragh, to capture the $1m event.

Ryan Moore was in the saddle and broke well, making his move as the field turned for home and running out an easy winner from Thewayiam.

“She's a very straightforward filly,” said Moore.”She's taken her racing very well. I rode her before the start of the year and all she's done is improve tremendously. In her first outing, I wasn't sure what she could do. The second time I rode her, she really impressed me. This was the third time I've rode her (and the second time in a race) and I thought she was very impressive.”

T J Comerford represented the winning trainer and added: “She can probably go a bit farther as well but it's great to get her going at a mile and a quarter and she can go a mile and a half in time. Ryan knew he had enough horse under him to do what he wanted. He just had to the press the button on her, and whenever he wanted her to go, she went.”

Camelot has enjoyed an incredible year and Athena was winning just six days after Latrobe (3c Camelot-Question Times, by Shamardal) landed the G1 Irish Derby victory

The following day, Italian 2,000 Guineas winner Wait Forever (3c Camelot-Mount McLeod, by Holy Roman Emperor), took the G3 Premio del Giubileo.

Meanwhile, Hunting Horn (3c Camelot-Mora Bai, by Indian Ridge) - one of Camelot’s two Royal Ascot winners this year - was also in action at Belmont on Saturday, finishing a good this in the $1.2m G1 Belmont Derby Invitational.