Dreams of a first Triple Crown winner since 1970 are very much alive after Camelot routed the field in the Derby at Epsom.
Camelot was sent off the 8-13 favourite on the back of his victory in the 2000 Guineas and hopes appear genuinely high he will be allowed to tackle the St Leger at Doncaster in September.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, who has won every British Classic this season, Camelot was ridden by his son, Joseph, 19, making them the first father/son combination to win the premier Classic in its 233-year history.
Nijinsky, trained by Vincent O’Brien, was the last horse to win the Triple Crown.
Sea The Stars completed the same Guineas-Derby double in 2009 but did not go for the St Leger, instead dropping back to 10 furlongs (2000m) and rounding off his career in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
“You can’t even dream of days like this,” O’Brien snr, said.
“No one can describe the feeling, things like this don’t happen.
“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.
“The Triple Crown would be incredible.”
Part-owner Derrick Smith, in whose colours the winner runs, said they would let the dust settle before a St Leger plan was formulated.
“This is the one that everyone in racing wants,” Smith said.
“It’s not a dream because I didn’t allow myself to dream it.
“It’s a fantastic team of people and it’s great to be part of it.
“It (the Triple Crown) must be (on the agenda), mustn’t it, we might get pressurised into it, but we will talk with Aidan and make the right decision.”
Fellow owner Michael Tabor said there were other races to consider.
“Nothing is cast in stone with this horse,” he said.
“We’ll all have to have a sit down and see about plans, we want the public to enjoy him.
“We’ve got an open mind. We’ve got the Arc and the Leger to consider. It’s a high-class problem to have.”
But Coolmore supremo John Magnier indicated a trip to Doncaster was a strong possibility.
“It (Camelot’s brilliance) is there for everyone to see and we are fortunate to have anything to do with him, and it’s particularly important in the year his father (Montjeu) died,” Magnier said.
“Wouldn’t anybody (be tempted by the Triple Crown)? These things get to mean more as you get older. If you had asked me 30 years ago I might have looked the other way, but we will have to see what Derrick and Michael say about it.”
Leger sponsors Ladbrokes make him their 1-3 favourite to win the world’s oldest Classic.
