Group 2 Victory For In-Form Camelot

Sober (4g Camelot - Burma Sea, by Lope De Vega) continued a fantastic weekend for Camelot when recording his second Group 2 success in the Prix Kergorlay at Deauville.

Andre Fabre’s charge gained a deserved Stakes win in the Group 2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier in May, having been narrowly denied at Group 2 level and placed in a Group 1 last season. Sent off favourite on Sunday, he was settled in midfield by Maxime Guyon and was travelling well with over two furlongs left to race. Ridden to lead approaching the final furlong, he stayed on well to beat Grand Alliance (Churchill) by a length and a quarter.

The winner is owned and bred by the Wertheimer family, whose racing manager Pierre Yves Bureau later said, “Sober is a very consistent horse at this level and he was there again for us. We will try to make him a Group 1 winner and the two possibilities are the Cadran and the Royal Oak, so we will see with Mr. Fabre wants to do.”

Sober becomes a second Group winner in as many days by Camelot, with Hosier (Camelot) having won the Group 3 James Squire Premier’s Cup at Randwick the previous day. A pair of smart juvenile winners followed, before a Camelot colt brought €520,000 from Juddmonte at Arqana.

Demand for Camelot’s progeny continued on the final day of trade, as Godolphin stretched to €850,000 for a colt from Gestut Ammerland. Anthony Stroud did the bidding, and after describing his buy as “a very nice horse,” elaborated, “This colt obviously has a stallion's pedigree and the team thought he was one of the picks of the sale. He's a nice staying horse.”

Other notable results for Camelot at Arqana included Camas Park Stud selling their three-parts sister to Gallante (Montjeu) for €320,000. De Burgh Equine and Glenhill Farm provided the final bid for the bay filly, whose siblings also include dual Stakes winner Silence Please (Gleneagles) and Group performer Party House (Camelot).