St Leger countdown: Doncaster Mayor Peter Davies backs Camelot’s bid for Triple Crown
Doncaster Mayor Peter Davies
DONCASTER Mayor Peter Davies says Camelot will be a “true champion” should the Triple Crown hopeful land the Ladbrokes St Leger in September.
Davies, a massive horse racing fan, has welcomed this week’s news from Camelot’s connections that the three-year-old colt’s next target is expected to be Doncaster and the famous St Leger.
Camelot will be looking to land the Triple Crown of the 2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger - last achieved by Nijinsky in 1970.
Mayor Davies, said: “Camelot’s owners deserve tremendous credit for taking on this challenge when they could have chosen alternative targets.
“Their sportsmanship and respect for racing’s traditions is refreshing and I am delighted they are bucking recent trends.
“For any horse to win over distances between one mile and the extended one mile and three quarters is a herculean effort and if Camelot can achieve this feat he will prove himself a true champion.
“To put this into context, if an athlete at the London Olympics tried to win gold at 400metres, 800metres and 1500metres it would be remarkable.
“Few athletes, if any, could manage to win gold at these distances at any point in their career.
“Racehorses, like athletes, tend to have an optimum distance for performing at the highest level and that’s why being a champion at three different distances is so difficult to achieve and why so few horses ever have the opportunity to attempt it never mind achieve it.
Camelot is poised to start as the shortest-priced St Leger favourite since the Second World War after the Doncaster Classic became his confirmed next target following Saturday’s Irish Derby win.
The colt’s bid to enter the history books will be the focal point of this year’s St Leger spectacular.
Mayor Davies added: “Doncaster has an extended week-long St Leger Festival starting on Friday 7 September and ending on Sunday 16 September with loads of entertainment and attractions planned during the day and into the evening.
With a historic St Leger on the cards, if you want to say ‘I was there’ put the date in your diary and we look forward to seeing you.
“The Queen’s horse Estimate was a winner at Royal Ascot last month and it would be fitting if we also had a royal runner in the St Leger at Town Moor in this Diamond Jubilee year.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Thorne
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
