Camelot winning the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket under Joseph O’Brien

PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  BY ANDREW SCUTTS 6:23 PM 28 MAY 2012

CAMELOT was on Monday evening as short as 4-7 with Ladbrokes and BetVictor to keep hopes of a Triple Crown alive by winning Saturday’s Investec Derby, in which he will face a maximum 11 rivals.

The market dominance of the 2,000 Guineas hero was further reflected by Paddy Power offering betting without Camelot, with Bonfire heading that list at 13-8. The same firm offer 4-5 Camelot starts at between 4-6 and 4-7 come the big day.

The last horse to win the Derby at odds-on was Shergar, who stormed home by a record ten lengths when successful at 10-11 in 1981, but the three odds-on favourites in the intervening period – El Gran Senor (8-11, 1984), Tenby (4-5, 1993) and Entrepreneur (4-6, 1997) – were all beaten.

There have not been fewer runners than 12 in the Derby since Nijinsky won in 1970 en route to completing the Triple Crown of the 2,000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger, but Coral for the time being are content to lay the favourite at an industry best 8-11, along with Paddy Power.

Coral spokesman David Stevens said: “Camelot has been favourite for the Derby since his Racing Post Trophy success last autumn, and a red-hot market leader since his 2,000 Guineas win, but with the winners of Derby trials at Sandown, Chester, Lingfield and York still among the potential Epsom opposition, we are happy to lay the favourite at odds-on.”

Trainer Marcus Tregoning is delighted with his Derby outsider Cavaleiro after the three-year-old colt worked over 6½f at Lingfield last weekend under big-race rider Hayley Turner, who will become only the second female jockey to ride in the Derby.

Marcus Tregoning: optimistic, PICTURE: Mark Cranham

Cavaleiro, a son of Tregoning’s 2006 Derby winner Sir Percy, won twice as a juvenile before finishing third to Main Sequence on his seasonal reappearance in the Group 3Derby Trial on Polytrack at Lingfield this month.

Tregoning said: “The piece of work Cavaleiro did at Lingfield on Saturday was the best bit of work he has done all year and we were very happy with that.

“I really do like him – he will stay very well and hopefully he will be able to go the pace. We can do what we want with him as he is a very straightforward ride and I imagine we will be tracking the pace – they don’t normally hang around in the Derby.

“It’s extraordinary having such a small field, possibly because people are scared of taking on Camelot, but it’s a strange year.

“It’s a huge opportunity for Hayley Turner and for everyone. I think she is very good for racing and she will give Cavaleiro a very good ride.”

Cavaleiro is around a 50-1 to 66-1 chance, and 33-1 in Paddy Power’s market without Camelot.

Racingpost