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If I recall, the last colt to win the triple crown.
2,000 Guineas
Derby
St Leger
was Nijinsky in 1970.
However he then tried and failed to claim the Arc De Triomphe, I don’t know how true this is but I believe the was a rumour that the St Leger spoilt his chances in the Arc.
Nijinsky appeared to recover fully after being placed on a "rich" diet including raw eggs and Irish Stout, and was sent to Doncaster for the St. Leger in September. In the one mile and six furlongs race, he was attempting to become the first horse since Bahram 35 years earlier to complete the English Triple Crown. He started the 2/7 favourite and won comfortably, although his margin of victory over Meadowville was only one length.
In his next race, Nijinsky was sent to France for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris in October. Piggott produced Nijinsky in the straight to make his challenge on the wide outside and 150m from the finish he caught the front runners Miss Dan and Sassafras and took a slight lead. In the last strides however, Nijinsky appeared to veer left away from Piggott’s whip, and Sassafras, ridden by Yves Saint-Martin, produced a renewed effort to regain the advantage and win by a head. While some, felt that Piggott had given Nijinsky too much ground to make up and had left his challenge too late, the jockey responded by saying that in his opinion Nijinsky was past his peak for the year.
Less than two weeks after his defeat in the Arc, Nijinsky ran his last race in the Champion Stakes oven ten furlongs at Newmarket. Although he had been known to sweat freely before some of his previous races, Nijinsky on this occasion appeared to become particularly nervous and anxious before the start. In the race itself he ran well below his best form and was beaten a neck at odds of 4/11 by the five-year-old English horse Lorenzaccio.[19] O’Brien on this occasion concurred with Piggott, saying that Nijinsky appeared to have "lost his fire." Nijinsky was retired to stand at stud at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky having been syndicated in August for $5,440,000.Am I right in thinking that Nijinsky was the first Triple Crown winner for 35 years? There was then only what, 15 years to Oh So Sharp? 27 years isn’t that long to wait.
Camalot is a stoutly bred 2000 Guineas winner. Certainly helped at Newmarket by it being a poor year for 3 year old milers. Should improve in to a proper quality 3 year old with an extra half mile. Though the Derby is still not a gimmie. Then we’ll see…
Value Is EverythingHowever his victory in the St Leger & failures in the Arc & Champion Stakes didn’t stop him being a pretty good success at the stud.
I remember at the time, & I was only 11, thinking O Brian had over raced him. He should have stopped for the season after the Arc.It is highly probable that Blue Peter would have completed the feat in 1939 if it were not due to the last unpleasantness. Sun Chariot completed the "New" triple crown in 1942. Meld won the triple crown in 1955. Relko won the Poulains, Derby and the Royal Oak in 1963. Nashwan and Sir Ivor were not targeted for the St Leger, Royal Palace was scratched from the race the week before while Nimbus and Crepello never raced after winning at Epsom.
Perhaps more pertinent is that no Derby winner since Reference Point in 1987 has run in the St Leger.
Nijinsky appeared to recover fully after being placed on a "rich" diet including raw eggs and Irish Stout, and was sent to Doncaster for the St. Leger in September
That presumably refers to the dose of Ringworm he caught in August. Some have opined that this infection left its mark and while his ‘class’ was sufficient to win a weakish St Leger the horse was not in the top-notch condition needed to win an Arc and Champion. So in some eyes his defeats in October weren’t down to being over-raced but were a legacy of the Ringworm attack
Does Ringworm tend to have a chronic debilitating effect on horses, or were those who put his defeats down to this just clutching at straws?
Am I right in thinking that Nijinsky was the first Triple Crown winner for 35 years? There was then only what, 15 years to Oh So Sharp? 27 years isn’t that long to wait.
Camalot is a stoutly bred 2000 Guineas winner. Certainly helped at Newmarket by it being a poor year for 3 year old milers. Should improve in to a proper quality 3 year old with an extra half mile. Though the Derby is still not a gimmie. Then we’ll see…
Dr Vincent reckoned that running in the St Leger is what cost Nijinsky his unbeaten record in the Arc.
Some say it was Lester’s fault, that he gave him too much to do.
Either way Dr Vincents words left their mark and the Triple Crown lost it’s appeal.
The main reason Derby winners don’t go to Donny is the Arc is a much more prestigious race.
As I said earlier to be the first horse since Nijinsky to win the Triple Crown would be quite a thing.
Should Camelot win the Derby but then lose in eg the King George and look vulnerable then AOB might just opt for the easier option.
Contrary to what you might think, Ringworm is not actually caused by worms but is a fungal skin infection. I suppose the time out of training might have affected him but since it is an external condition I would not be sure it affected his physiology to such an extent as to hinder his racing ability.
Best to ask a vet though!
The question begs for a definitive answer…
Being a pragmatist, the best I can offer is "It’s probable".
He was the best of a piss poor bunch back in June although it’s uncertain as to how the crop have progressed in relation to Camelot.
To be honest, I find it much more fun to be agnostic in matters I’m not certain on.
He’ll stroll it.
He’s no Nijinsky and O’Brien’s quotations he’s the best Coolmore have ever produced are laughable, and have spoilt things for me to a certain extent. We all know if he was what O’Brien claims he was he wouldn’t even be running in the Leger.
He is a very versatile colt and to complete the triple crown is incredible.
But AOB’s comment is in my view based more around trying to increase his stud value.
He obviously is a great trainer, but does he really believe that ?
That said, what a poor crop of 3 year olds.what was the 3yos like when
Nijinsky II
won it?
Oddly enough it was something I was just looking at. Gyr won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud after the Derby, Meadowville won the Voltigeur but on the whole the derby field was hardly exceptional. In the King George he easily beat Blakeney who was not a great Derby winner and did not improve as a 4yo. Nijinsky was vastly superior to his rivals in the first half of his classic year, while Sassafras improved Nijinsky’s form regressed after August.
I think that Ballydoyle’s remarks on Camelot, perhaps refer largely to temperament, attitude, and trainabilty .
There is a cynical saying that goes"he believes his own press releases".Does Aidan read them? I feel he must not.Maybe Joseph should also do the welcome to Ballydoyle for the press.
Camelot has certainly been set an easier test than Nijinsky was so to back up Aiden’s hype he’s going to have to win this doing handstands.
According to Dr Vincent it was Nijinsky’s participation in this race that cost him the Arc, according to Lester it was his balls up of a ride.
The question will Camelot emulate him and win the St Leger is not as easy to answer as the odds suggest. It is one grueling test and considering Camelot was quick enough to win the 2000 Guineas you would have to wonder is this a bridge too far?
The fact he won the Irish Derby on soft/heavy would indicate he should stay if the ground remains good. However he only beat Born To Sea who is to my mind one of the poorest horses ever to contest a Group 1 and get placed. That hardly inspires confidence.
Maybe Aiden believes he is the next coming, Camelot that is
. To be fair the fact he runs him here and missed the likes of the King George gives no indication of what the man really thinks. Make no mistake winning the Triple Crown, something that is rarely ever done is much more important than winning the King George. People tend to forget very few have been in a position to do so and those that did opted out because they wouldn’t have stayed the trip in a horse box.
At the end of the day if Camelot does win the St leger, Aiden will be judged on what he does next with the horse. If he retires him people will say he was talking through his backside. If he goes on to win the Arc this year or remains in training and unbeaten Camelot will be hailed as an all time great.
At the end of the day the proof is in the pudding and if Camelot goes off to the sheds after the St Leger he may well be a successful sire but Aiden will have fooled no one. Least of all the breeders or the racing public as we have heard it way too often.
Will he win on Saturday? I hope so, as racing needs all the stars it can get.
A fairly confident yes for me but I wouldn’t put money on it.
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