Epsom Derby: Camelot gives Aidan O'Brien fourth Classic win

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Media caption,

Superb Camelot wins the 2012 Epsom Derby

Odds-on favourite Camelot created history as he won the 233rd Epsom Derby on Diamond Jubilee weekend for jockey Joseph O'Brien and his trainer father Aidan.

The 8-13 chance produced a late charge to beat Main Sequence by five lengths, with the winner's stablemate Astrology a short head behind in third.

Joseph, 19, delivered an ice-cool ride as the O'Briens became the first father/son, trainer/jockey combination to land the big race.

"I was worried," said Joseph O'Brien. "He didn't come down the hill or handle the track and he did well to win.

"He is a very special horse and I am fortunate to be able to ride him."

Camelot, the 2,000 Guineas winner at Newmarket last month, was giving Aidan his fourth straight English Classic success.

The Irish trainer landed the 1,000 Guineas with Homecoming Queen, while Was claimed the Oaks at Epsom on Friday.

O'Brien senior said: "You can't even dream of days like this.

"I was always happy, I know his [Joseph's] body language by now and he looked confident.

"No-one can describe the feeling, things like this don't happen."

He could now seek a clean sweep of all the Classics by aiming Camelot at the St Leger at Doncaster in September, and the chance to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Nijinsky in 1970.

"We'll give the Triple Crown a lot of thought and the boys will make a decision and do whatever is best for the horse," Aidan O'Brien added.

"The Triple Crown would be incredible."

The Queen watched on from the Royal Box , with a bumper crowd of 130,000 cheering the runners home as late afternoon sunshine graced the Surrey course.

And she saw a mighty performance from horse and jockey as the teenage rider bided his time near the rear of the field while Thought Worthy and Astrology contested the lead around Tattenham Corner.

Camelot was sent out wide and reeled in his rivals after Main Sequence pressed Astrology in the closing stages.

It was the trainer's third Derby victory following wins for Galileo in 2001 and High Chaparral a year later.

O'Brien had sent out 39 runners in the big race in the 10 years since then without success, but had made no secret of the regard in which he held Camelot.

Camelot was the shortest-priced winner since Gainsborough (also 8-13) landed the 1918 wartime Derby staged at Newmarket.

The horse's co-owner Derrick Smith, who was celebrating 100 Group wins, said: "This is the one everyone wants. It's just unbelievable. To win the Epsom Derby is a dream come true.

"What a horse and what a ride from young Joseph. You could see from the three-furlong pole it was all over.

"I've had such fun out of it and to be here with all my family is great. The Triple Crown must be on the agenda but we will sit down with Aidan and make the final decision."

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