Camelot: short price to win third Classic of the season in Irish Derby.

PICTURE: Getty Images , BY JAMES BURN & TONY O’HEHIR 6:42 PM 29 JUN 2012.

CAMELOT’S bid for a third Classic of the season takes him to the Curragh on Saturday for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, a race the star colt’s trainer Aidan O’Brien has dominated recently.

The 2,000 Guineas and Derby winner will start a red-hot favourite for the 1m4f Group 1, which is being run at the experimental time of 7.40pm on Saturday. He is a general 1-3 shot, with stablemate Imperial Monarch next best at 6-1.

O’Brien, who is seeking a tenth win in the race and his seventh in a row, said: “Camelot handled slow ground when he won the 2,000 Guineas but everyone saw how effective he was on quicker ground at Epsom. We’ve been happy with him since the Derby and he’s in good form.”

Light Heavy, who completed a hat-trick when successful in the Group 2 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown last time, is one of Camelot’s six rivals.

He ranges from 14-1 to 20-1 in the betting and his trainer Jim Bolger said: “He has shown that he goes through soft ground, although he would prefer better conditions. I’m very happy with him and I expect him to run a good race. It will be his first time over a mile and a half but I think he will stay the distance.”

The Curragh card is packed with quality and also features the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises Railway Stakes and the Group 3 Woodies DIY Sapphire Stakes, in which Rae Guest fields mud-lover Mirza.

“You’ve got to make hay when the sun shines, or whatever the equivalent for rain is, as he loves this ground,” said Guest. “He’s in great, great form and it’s a step up in grade again but we thought we’d take the chance.”

British-trained horses head the betting for the Paddy Power Sprint, with Bertiewhittle 6-1 and Bajan Tryst 15-2 with the race sponsor.

The ground on Friday night was described as soft, heavy in places. Blustery conditions prevailed and are expected to continue, with the risk of showers on Saturday.

Racingpost.