Russian Camelot (foaled 29 March 2017) is a multiple

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (racing), a historic (until 1981) classification for Touring car racing, applied to standard touring cars. Comparable to modern FIA Group N * Group On ...

winning

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse bred in Ireland and raced in Australia.

Career

Russian Camelot made his debut at Ballarat on 11 October 2019, jumping at $4.60 and winning by 2 lengths. Jockey Damien Oliver said, "I've trialled him and he's trialled like a nice horse, but because he's six months behind, being a European two-year-old, we haven't really tried him hard as such. He's a great looking horse and he's always given you the feel of a nice horse, but it's always nice to see it there when you ask them for the effort and they do respond." A month later, Russian Camelot contested a listed race, finishing second. Trainer O'Brien said, "He ran super, he's still inexperienced and it was his second start. He got to the front, probably just floated a little bit, and he found a better horse on the day." After a spell, Russian Camelot returned in March 2020, but his "poor barrier manners" saw him jump poorly and finish 4th. On 4 April, he was scratched after rearing in the barriers and dislodging Oliver. Due to the scratching, he raced at Pakenham 5 days later, winning by seven lengths in an "effortless victory". Next was the Group 1

South Australian Derby The South Australian Derby is a South Australian Jockey Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, at set weights, run over a distance of 2,500 metres at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide, Australia during the SAJC Autumn Carniv ...

. Due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in Australia The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first confirmed case in Australia was identified on 25 Januar ...

, Oliver was unable to travel to South Australia without entering isolation and John Allen was given the ride. A shortening favourite and the youngest horse in the field, he settled without cover at the back of the field before coming down the middle of the track for victory. O'Brien said, "We've had him since he was a yearling and this was a race that we've been aiming him at for the better part of 12 months. He's turned up and delivered. It's very satisfying. It's never been done before - a northern hemisphere horse has never won a Derby in Australia. I don't think one has ever run? We were very confident going into today that there were no excuses. He'd had everything we needed to do to get him right today." Russian Camelot resumed racing from a spell with a second placing in the

Makybe Diva Stakes The Makybe Diva Stakes, previously called the Craiglee Stakes, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race at Weight for age conditions for three year olds and older, over a distance of 1,600 metres held at Flemington Racecourse in M ...

. On the 26 September 2020 he was successful in winning his second

when an odds-on favourite in the

Underwood Stakes The Underwood Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race, run over 1800 metres under weight-for-age conditions, held at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in late September each year. Total prize money for the ra ...

at Caulfield. Russian Camelot started $3.50 favorite and ran 3rd in the 2020 Cox Plate, followed up with an 8th in the Melbourne Cup the same year. In 2021 he ran 2nd in the All-Star Mile, a race which proved to be his last as a tendon injury forced him into early retirement. In the

2020 World's Best Racehorse Rankings The 2020 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, sponsored by Longines was the 2020 edition of the World's Best Racehorse Rankings. It was an assessment of Thoroughbred racehorses issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities The Long ...

, Russian Camelot was rated on 118, making him the equal 80th best racehorse in the world.

References

{{Reflist 2017 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Ireland Racehorses trained in Australia Thoroughbred racehorses Thoroughbred family 13-e