The discovery of a man's body Sunday in the stable area of Churchill Downs was being investigated as a homicide, but there appears to be no connection to the race track or the Kentucky Derby, police said.......
Minggu, 06 Mei 2012
Cavendish Wins Giro Stage 2
Britain's Mark Cavendish won the second stage of the Giro d'Italia, sealing the eighth stage victory of his career in the prestigious Grand Tour race.
The Team Sky rider triumphed in a bunch sprint at the end of the 128 mile (206km) stage, which started and finished in the Danish town of Herning.
Australia's Matt Goss was second with Frenchman Geoffrey Soupe third.
American Taylor Phinney retained the overall lead despite crashing with about five miles (8km) remaining.
There was another crash a few hundred metres from the line that took out some of the sprint contenders but Cavendish kept out of trouble to take victory.
Cavendish was brilliantly led out by Welsh team-mate Geraint Thomas in the closing stages.
The predominantly flat stage, with long stretches up the west Jutland coast, was expected to produce an early break and Alfredo Balloni (Farnese Vini), Olivier Kaisen (Lotto Belisol) and Miguel Rubiano (Androni Giacattoli-Venezuela) did just that, pulling away with 90 miles (145km) to go.
But they were caught with 25 miles (40km) remaining.
There was then an ineffectual attack by Lars Ytting Bak (Lotto Belisol), who went in search of a win on home soil, but he was undone by a combination of a headwind and a watchful peloton determined to set up a sprint finish.
The race stays in Denmark on Monday but leaves Herning for a 118-mile (190km) circuit around Horsens in east Jutland, which is again expected to favour the sprinters, particularly Cavendish.
Overall Standings
1. Taylor Phinney (US, BMC Racing) 5 hours, 3 minutes, 38 seconds
2. Geraint Thomas (Britain / Team Sky) at 9 secs
3. Alex Rasmussen (Denmark / Garmin) at 13 secs
4. Manuele Boaro (Italy / Saxo Bank) at 15 secs
5. Gustav Larsson (Sweden / Vacansoleil) at 22 secs
United Match City at Swansea
First-half goals from Paul Scholes and Ashley Young gave Manchester United a very hollow 2-0 victory over Swansea at Old Trafford. The result ensures the Barclays Premier League champions will take the defence of their trophy into the final day.....
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Thompson and SPL Dilemma
Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson has spoken of the dilemma facing the Scottish Premier League board over what to do with a "newco" Rangers.......
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O'Brien Comes Home in 1000 Guineas
Homecoming Queen has won the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket as trainer Aidan O'Brien completed a Guineas double following Camelot's victory on Saturday.
Jockey Ryan Moore drove Homecoming Queen - a 25-1 outsider - to a convincing victory by nine lengths.
Starscope was second with the previously unbeaten favourite Maybe, ridden by O'Brien's son Joseph, third.
Grey Pearl was fatally injured in the stalls before the race, leading to a half-hour delay.
Maybe was the 13-8 favourite but stablemate Homecoming Queen set off at a blistering gallop and Joseph O'Brien's mount never looked content.
Moore kicked on again going into the dip aboard Ballydoyle's supposed second string and the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor stretched clear.
It was the first victory in the Newmarket fillies' Classic for Moore, who said: "Aidan said she was very fit and very well.
"I thought I was going a stride too quick, but she just kept going. There's not much of her, but she tries very hard. She's very tough."
Aiden O'Brien said: "It's incredible. She's a very good filly."
1,000 Guineas winners
2011: Blue Bunting
2010: Special Duty
2009: Ghanaati
2008: Natagora
2007: Finsceal Beo
Stoner Makes it Two Wins
The Repsol Honda Team pair of Dani Pedrosa and Stoner gave the crowd action from the start, as the two touched fairings going into turn one, with Stoner taking the lead into turn two. Factory Yamaha Team’s Jorge Lorenzo took full advantage of this to sneak into second to hunt down the Australian, who was soon pulling out a gap........
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City Go Yaya at St James' Park
Manchester City have one hand on the Premier League trophy after Yaya Toure's double fired them to a 2-0 success over Newcastle United at St James' Park.
Having climbed to the top of the table on goal difference with Monday's derby victory over Manchester United, Roberto Mancini's men opened up a three-point advantage over Sir Alex Ferguson's side who host Swansea later on Sunday.
City now know that they will celebrate their first top-flight crown since 1968 if they can overcome relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers, and former manager Mark Hughes, at the Etihad Stadium next weekend.
A tense afternoon on Tyneside was settled by two goals from Toure, with the Ivory Coast international given more freedom by the introduction of midfield enforcer Nigel de Jong in place of Samir Nasri in the 61st minute.
The deadlock was broken just nine minutes later as Toure curled home a superb shot from outside the box which gave Tim Krul no chance after exchanging passes with Sergio Aguero, with De Jong also involved in the build-up to the goal.
With the Magpies pushing for an equaliser in their UEFA Champions League chase, City broke from a corner with Toure sweeping the ball home from close range after a neat move involving Aguero, De Jong and Gael Clichy.
City's last triumph 44 years ago came courtesy of a 4-3 win at St James' Park, and this victory could prove almost as pivotal.
Mancini's players celebrated just as lustily as their fans high in the stand behind Krul's goal after the final whistle with the promise of glory tantalisingly close.
With the vast majority of a raucous crowd of 52,389 behind them, the Magpies flew out of the blocks to pin the visitors back inside their own half, although without ever looking like troubling keeper Joe Hart.
But as the half wore on, City's class and guile saw them gradually ease into a position of dominance.
With Carlos Tevez and David Silva targeting right-back James Perch, playing in yet another role with Danny Simpson injured, they threatened to open the scoring on several occasions before the break.
That they did not was testament to Krul and the stubborn refusal of the men in front of him to concede.
Perch and Yohan Cabaye blocked shots from Nasri and Toure in quick succession and Krul produced excellent saves to deny first Silva and then Aguero from close range inside the opening 17 minutes with Mancini's men flexing their muscles.
Newcastle were sinking ever deeper towards their own goalline in an effort to keep City at bay, but from somewhere, they found the strength to first stem the tide, and then turn it in their direction.
Demba Ba, without a goal in 12 games, sent a 29th-minute shot on the turn just over after Hatem Ben Arfa's spring-heeled run down the right and then saw another snapshot blocked by Clichy before Ben Arfa forced a superb diving save from Hart from the rebound.
Ba then headed over from Ben Arfa's 40th-minute cross after good work from Jonas Gutierrez with a breathless contest showing no sign of abating.
However, it took heroic blocks from first Fabricio Coloccini and then Davide Santon to keep out Gareth Barry four minutes before the break.
Krul's clean sheet was in peril once again within seven minutes of the restart when Perch tripped Tevez after the Argentinian had wriggled away from him, but Toure's free-kick flew harmlessly over the bar.
Such was Newcastle's determination not to concede that winger Gutierrez turned up inside his own penalty area to head Silva's 53rd-minute cross clear, and Krul had to make a smart save from Tevez's snapshot from distance.
But with the pace of Ben Arfa and Cisse worrying City on the break, Newcastle not only managed to keep them out, but to press them back.
Mancini decided the time for change had arrived and with 61 minutes gone, replaced Nasri with De Jong, the man whose tackle last season left Ben Arfa with a double leg fracture, a fact which had obviously not been forgotten by the home fans.
Ben Arfa almost provided the Dutchman with the perfect welcome within three minutes when, after being picked out by Ba, he twisted and turned his way in on goal, only to screw his right-foot shot wide.
De Jong's arrival allowed Toure to push further forward, and the move paid dividends with 20 minutes remaining.
Seconds after Edin Dzeko had replaced Tevez, Toure exchanged passes with Aguero 25 yards out and guided a curling right-foot shot past Krul and into the bottom corner.
It should have been all over within five minutes when Silva played in Aguero over the top, but with just Krul to beat, he side-footed wide.
Cisse might have claimed a point with a close-range header from substitute Shola Ameobi's 79th-minute cross, but for once, he failed to hit the target.
Toure should have made sure six minutes from time, but fell over as he attempted to round Krul, who managed to touch over Aguero's follow-up.
But the powerhouse midfielder wrapped up the points with a minute remaining when he accepted Clichy's pass six yards out and beat Krul to end Newcastle's hopes of a fightback.
View from the Top - Martina Navratilova
"The mark of great sportsmen is not how good they are at their best, but how good they are their worst."
Martina Navratilova
Exeter's Steve Perryman Recovering
Exeter director of football Steve Perryman is recovering in hospital after undergoing heart surgery.
The Devon club reported the operation had been a success after Perryman, Tottenham's appearance record holder and capped once by England, was taken ill during Saturday's 2-2 League One draw with Sheffield United at St James Park.
Perryman was experiencing shortage of breath during the game.
The club on Sunday released a statement on their website, which read: "Last night, Steve Perryman was transferred from the RD&E (Royal Devon & Exeter) Hospital to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth where he underwent heart surgery.
"This morning the surgery was reported as successful.
"Needing complete rest, Steve will not be contactable until further notice.
"On Steve and his wife Kim's behalf, we would like to say thank you for all the kind messages of goodwill."
Maybe O'Brien for 1,000 Guineas
Trainer Aidan O'Brien does not expect the soft ground to trouble Maybe as she aims to continue her unbeaten run by winning Sunday's 1,000 Guineas......
Dirk's Dallas Despatched by Thunder
Oklahoma City kept picking and rolling, and James Harden kept making plays.
Instead of giving in and being content going home for a Game 5, the Thunder now are waiting for their next series. Oklahoma City rallied for a 103-97 victory on Saturday night to complete a first-round series sweep of the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks.
Harden scored 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, including seven in a row and nine in the Thunder's 12-0 run after they trailed by 13 points with 9:44 left.
"I got into attack mode," Harden said. "I was determined to make plays."
After the Harden-fuelled surge over 3 minutes got the Thunder within a point, they finally took the lead -- and kept it -- when Russell Westbrook stole the ball from Dirk Nowitzki and passed to Serge Ibaka for a two-handed slam that made it 92-91 with 5:17 left.
"He beat us in individual drives, beat us in pick and rolls. He got up a head of steam and was great," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of Harden. "We tried everything, five or six different coverages going. We needed to be better but it was more about how good he was."
Dallas is the second defending champion in five years to be swept in the first round. After beating the Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals, Miami lost in four games to Chicago the next year.
Kevin Durant had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Thunder, who will play the winner of the series between the Los Angeles Laker sand Denver. The Lakers lead that first-round series 2-1 going into Game 4 on Sunday night in Denver.
"This goes without saying, I'm excited we won the series," coach Scott Brooks said. "James had an incredible game. We ran pick and rolls at the angles. ... He was making plays for himself or our shooters."
Even when Harden bobbled the ball in the fourth quarter after Oklahoma City took the lead,Derek Fisher ended up with it and drove for a layup to make it 96-91. Nowitzki then had a shot that hit the rim a couple of times before falling out.
Nowitzki had 34 points, including all six of his free throws after that. But he also missed a couple of shots in that span, all that were close but not good.
With their 20-something All-Star duo of Durant and Westbrook along with the late-season addition of Fisher, who won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Thunder got the franchise's first four-game playoff sweep since 1996.
That's when they were still the Seattle SuperSonics and swept the Houston Rockets in a second-round series.
"If you want to be an elite team in this league, you got to have two or three guys who can go off at any time and I just thought they had more weapons than us," Nowitzki said.
Oklahoma City finished off the Mavs without starting centre Kendrick Perkins, who left the game with 4:09 left in the first quarter with a right hip strain. He had two rebounds, two assists and missed his only shot in his 8 minutes.
Jason Kidd, the Mavericks' 39-year-old point guard, had 16 points and eight assists. Jason Terry had 11 points in what might have also been his last game in Dallas.
Westbrook and Fisher had 12 points each for the Thunder.
Dallas led 86-73 on a 3-pointer by Terry before Harden scored seven in a row -- on a three-point play and two other baskets. Durant then made a 3-pointer, and after Nowitzki was short on a 14-footer, Harden drove for a powerful two-handed slam that got the Thunder within 86-85.
The game was tied at halftime before Nowitzki had 12 points and Kidd made three 3-pointers in the third quarter, when the Mavs scored 34 points to take an 81-68 lead.
Dallas had never been swept in a best-of-seven series. And the Mavericks hadn't lost four playoff games in a row since the 2006 NBA Finals against the Heat, when they took a 2-0 series lead before losing the rest.
Now they are the oldest team in the NBA, and vastly changed from last year's championship squad.
Still, the Mavs looked like they were ready after halftime to at least force the series back to Oklahoma City, where they opened the series with two losses by a combined four points before losing by 16 at home in Game 3 on Thursday night.
Nowitzki drove around Ibaka for a tiebreaking one-handed reverse layup less than a minute into the second half, and the lead was up to 64-54 when Shawn Marion had a slam dunk.
The closest the Thunder got the rest of the third quarter was six points, but Kidd stretched that back out with another 3-pointer.
Carlisle had talked during the off day about the Mavericks controlling their emotions after his outburst in the first quarter of Game 3. He had to be held back by an assistant coach when he charged onto the court and was pointing and screaming at an official because of what he said were three missed calls on one possession, ending with Oklahoma City scoring on what appeared to be basket interference.
Before the end of the first quarter Saturday night, Carlisle was mad again -- and for good reason.
Kidd had bad pass that went out of bounds, but officials missed that the ball was deflected in the air by Harden. Replays showed clearly that Carlisle had a gripe and that the loud boos were warranted.
Fisher then made it worse by hitting a 22-foot jumper when play resumed. But Vince Carter made a 3-pointer to get the Mavs within 26-24 before drawing a charge from Harden near midcourt.
Messi Makes it Number Fifty
Lionel Messi scored four times to take his season tally to an unprecedented 72 goals and give Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola a 4-0 win over crosstown rival Espanyol in his last home game at Camp Nou on Saturday.....
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I'll Have Another Takes Kentucky
I'll Have Another looked like just another horse at the Kentucky Derby. Until the final furlong, that is....
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Usain Opens season with 9.82 Bolt
Usain Bolt ran the fastest time of the year in his first 100m race of 2012 at the Jamaica International Invitational.
The 25-year-old ran 9.82 seconds in a Jamaican one-two-three in Kingston, with Michael Frater second in 10.00 and Lerone Clarke third in 10.03.
World and Olympic champion Bolt faces trials next month for London 2012.
Great Britain athlete Christine Ohuruogu finished third in the 400m event, while Larry Achike was second in the triple jump.
Tiffany Porter was third in the 100m hurdles, and Andy Turner was fourth in the 110m hurdles.
Parker Spurs Third at the Jazz
Through nearly 40 minutes, the Utah Jazz made Tony Parker look average and had 11 points on 5-of-12 shooting, and the San Antonio Spurs were clinging to a five-point lead. Then Parker the MVP candidate then took over.
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Mayweather Outpoints Cotto
Floyd Mayweather Jr. finally found himself in a real fight, complete with a bloody nose and an opponent in Miguel Cotto who never was going to quit.
Sabtu, 05 Mei 2012
Gerrard Believes Reds Will Return
Steven Gerrard is backing Liverpool to respond positively to their FA Cup final defeat and be a force to be reckoned with in 2012/13..........
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Stoner Grabs Late Estoril Pole
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Australia's Casey Stoner will start Sunday's Portuguese MotoGP from pole position, despite leaving it late to record the best qualifying lap.
Repsol Honda's Stoner clocked one minute, 37.188 seconds to narrowly pip Spain's Dani Pedrosa.
Britain's Cal Crutchlow completes the front row, ahead of Jorge Lorenzo, Ben Spies and Alvaro Bautista on row two.
There was bad news for Colin Edwards, though, as the American broke his collarbone in a high-speed crash.
Edwards collided with Randy de Puniet of France within less than 12 minutes of the session remaining.
While De Puniet walked away and is expected to be fine for Sunday's race, Edwards was not so fortunate, breaking his collarbone for the second time in a year.
American Spies was a little unlucky, twice hitting traffic despite being on-pace to set a pole-challenging time, and had to settle for fifth place on the grid.
Andrea Dovisioso was seventh fastest on his Tech 3 Yamaha while Hector Barbera finished as the fastest Ducati in eighth.
Valentino Rossi came ninth while Nicky Hayden rounded out the top-10 fastest riders.
Crutchlow had looked on course for pole at one stage, before Stoner made his surge to the top.
"I am pleased because the team have done a great job and I think we shave shown our pace again," Crutchlow said.
"It will be very difficult to be on the podium because [Jorge]) Lorenzo is the fastest here, even though he is not on the front row, but we will see."
Marc Murquez will start on pole in Moto2 after recording a time of 1:40.934, with Britain's Scott Redding qualifying third and Bradley Smith 13th.
In Moto3, Sandro Cortese secured his second pole position of the season.
The 22-year-old German clocked a time of a 1:47.145 to finish more than three-tenths clear of Spain's Maverick Vinales.
Miguel Oliveira claimed third late in the session while Britain's Danny Kent, Cortese's team-mate, will start from fourth on the grid following his best qualifying performance of his career.
Selected MotoGP qualifying times from Estoril:
1 Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda 1min 37.188 secs
2 Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 1:37.201
3 Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha 1:37.289
4 Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha 1:37.466
5 Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha 1:37.723
6 Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Honda 1:37.917
7 Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Yamaha 1:37.943
8 Hector Barbera (SPA) Ducati 1:38.006
9 Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati 1:38.059
10 Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati 1:38.253
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Camelot Legend Continues
Red-hot favourite Camelot swooped late to claim the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket by a neck.........
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Everything Di Matteo Does is Magic
Chelsea won a dramatic FA Cup final as they beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley........
Ramires fired Chelsea into an early lead and Didier Drogba doubled their advantage just minutes into the second-half, in so doing became the first player ever to score in four different finals.
The game then changed on the hour when Andy Carroll came on and he scored soon after to cut the arrears in half as he turned John Terry before firing home.
With minutes left Carroll thought he had headed an equaliser for Liverpool but Petr Cech clawed the ball off the line to rescue Chelsea, who managed to hang on and claim their third FA Cup in four years.
There was no hint of the drama to follow when Ramires became the first Brazilian to score in this most prestigious of showpiece occasions.
Juan Mata slipped a pass beyond Jose Enrique, the Liverpool full-back failed to recover his ground, allowing Ramires to bear down on the Reds goal.
Jose Reina then chose incorrectly, diving to his right, allowing the ball to beat him rather embarrassingly at the near post.
Having fallen behind in both the semi-final against Everton and to Cardiff in the Carling Cup final earlier in the season, Liverpool had no need to fret.
Concern
What would probably have concerned manager Kenny Dalglish rather more was the way his team were outgunned in midfield.
It was not until the half-hour, when Steven Gerrard started to get in advanced areas, that the Merseyside outfit began to exert any influence on the game.
By that time Drogba, Frank Lampard and Salomon Kalou had all wasted half-chances.
Branislav Ivanovic, like Ramires banned from the UEFA Champions League final in Munich on 19th May, had done well to block a snap-shot from Craig Bellamy early on.
That was Liverpool's only opportunity though, until Suarez rose on the edge of the six-yard box only to nod Jordan Henderson's knock-back wide.
Unfortunately for Dalglish's team, their momentum was halted by the half-time break and before they could get into their stride again, Chelsea had doubled their advantage through Drogba.
The Ivorian found space on the left side of Liverpool's area and rattled a shot through Martin Skrtel's legs and into the far corner, he was scoring for the eighth time in as many Wembley appearances.
It prompted Dalglish into making his move, introducing his £35million striker.
Carroll responded immediately, twisting John Terry around superbly inside the area before lashing his shot into the roof of Cech's goal.
The former Newcastle man then used his power to set up the much-maligned Henderson, who drilled a half-volley narrowly wide as those ageing Chelsea legs began to creak.
And Liverpool were convinced Carroll had levelled nine minutes from time when he rose at the far post to power Suarez's cross goalwards.
But the celebrations were cut short as the officials ruled Cech had clawed the ball out before it had crossed the line.
Even after half a dozen replays, there was no clear verdict either way, meaning the linesman, with one look, was in an impossible situation.
Carroll carved out one more chance, only for Terry to block, leaving Dalglish to reflect on the moment of controversy that denied him.
View from the Top - Tommy Lasorda
"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man's determination."
Tommy Lasorda
Orioles Comeback at Fenway Park
The Baltimore Orioles patiently came back from three different deficits then took their first lead when it mattered most.......
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Captain Doan Pucks Coyotes in Charge
The Phoenix Coyotes are on the brink of their first Western Conference finals thanks to their stingy goalie and the captain who travelled with the franchise from Winnipeg to the desert......
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Rashidi Yekini 1963 - 2012
Tributes have been paid to the former African Footballer of the Year, Rashidi Yekini, who has died at the age of 48.
The prolific striker was the first Nigerian to take the continental crown and played a key role in some of his country's greatest football moments.
He scored Nigeria's first ever goal at the World Cup, against Bulgaria at USA '94, and led the way as they won the Africa Cup of Nations in the same year.
“Yekini's fantastic skills and talent were evident to the world”Issa HayatouCaf President
He is Nigeria's top international scorer, with 37 goals from 58 games.
He was also a prolific goalscorer in club football - seeing huge success with Shooting Stars of Nigeria, Ivory Coast's Africa Sport and Vitoria Setubal of Portugal, amongst others.
Yekini began his career with UNTL FC in Kaduna in northern Nigeria before moving to Shooting Stars, whom he helped to reach the final of the then African Champions Cup in 1984.
That was the same year in which he made his debut for Nigeria - and he was still playing for his country 12 years later, at the World Cup in France in 1998.
The moment that took him to global fame came at the World Cup in the United States, when he scored that goal against Bulgaria.
The strike itself was important enough, but the manner of his celebration, grasping the net in exultation (see photo above), became an iconic image of the tournament, and of the man.
His death, on Friday night, comes after a long illness, and he will be buried in his native Kwara State on Saturday.
Amongst those paying tribute to him is the President of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou, who expressed the shock of "the whole of the African football family" at Yekini's death.
"Rashidi Yekini's fantastic display of skills and talent were evident to the world during Nigeria's campaigns at the USA '94 and France '98 World Cups finals - we will deeply miss him," Hayatou said
Windies Begin England Tour
West Indies begin their tour of England hoping a tight-knit "family" of developing talent can keep them competitive in three Tests.
Coach Ottis Gibson acknowledged two days ago that the Windies, under Darren Sammy's captaincy, face their toughest challenge in the longest format against world-beaters England.
Gibson is optimistic that the tourists will prove more at home over 50 overs and then in a one-off Twenty20, and it is not difficult to see why - especially if Chris Gayle and others in a star-studded cavalry arrive in time for the shorter matches.
In the meantime, Sammy and Gibson will continue to forge a 'one-for-all' mentality - just as Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss have done so effectively for richly-talented England - to try to push the hosts out of their comfort zone.
Sussex are the West Indies' first opponents, and first opportunity to consolidate on signs of progress in what was nonetheless a 2-0 Test series defeat at home to Australia - concluded just last week.
Among the number under Sammy and Gibson's guidance is vice-captain Kirk Edwards, who made it clear yesterday that he and his team-mates are happy to buy into the idea of working hard for one another in the hope of enjoying mutual success.
Asked about the "family", of which Sammy had previously spoken, Edwards said: "It's been like that for a while now. The vibe is the guys tending to enjoy each other.
"It's a good environment to be in - nice and relaxed, and you're looking round and seeing guys who are like a brother here and a brother there. You tend to pull for each other.
"That's the most you can ask for in a team environment."
Sammy, still seeking to establish his credentials as a Test all-rounder, faces an unenviable task this summer.
But he appears to have little trouble winning over his players and generating common goodwill.
Edwards confirms the impression of a genial, but determined, cricketer at the helm.
"He's pretty easy-going, but a fierce competitor," he said.
"He's a tough, fighting cricketer. That's what I admire about him.
"He's known not to be as talented as most. But I know he gives 100 per cent every time he goes out there; that's all you can really ask for from a guy."
OSM news service
Camelot Set for Qipco 2000 Guineas
Aidan O'Brien insists that he hasn't "forced" Camelot to be ready in time for the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.
The eclipse of St Nicholas Abbey in the race two years ago is still a raw memory for the Ballydoyle team and they admit it took him a good year to get over those exertions.
With Camelot by the same sire in Montjeu and having followed the same route via the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, people have, not surprisingly, drawn comparisons between the pair.
While O'Brien was reluctant to commit the unbeaten colt to the Classic until only recently, the last few weeks have seen him discuss his chances in a far more bullish mode.
"He's never run in a big field, but he's a straightforward horse and a relaxed horse at home," said O'Brien.
"Obviously the bigger the field the more dangers there are, but I don't think it's going to be a problem.
"If the horse wasn't going to be ready for the Guineas we didn't want to be forcing him so we were letting him tell us really.
"He's been coming along nicely and everything has gone smoothly so far.
"I'd imagine so (he'll get further). His two runs were over a mile last year and we're using this as a start-off race," he told British Champions Series TV.
Camelot will be ridden by O'Brien's son, Joseph, who is looking for his first British Classic.
"It's going to be his first run of the year so he should improve from it, but he's been doing everything nicely," said O'Brien jnr.
"He won very impressively at Doncaster and was in control all the way. I never had to ask him a question.
"He's a very uncomplicated horse, he takes no work at home. He's a joy to train, I suppose, and very easy to ride. He has it all."
The Ballydoyle team also have a strong second string to their bow in Power, seen by many as an unlucky loser in the Dewhurst on his last start at two.
"He started off at six furlongs and went up to seven. He hasn't run over a mile yet, so he's a little bit different to Camelot," said the handler .
"He's well and he's a big, hardy horse. I don't think a mile will be a problem, but he's a horse who shows plenty of early speed in his work, so I'm not sure how much further than a mile he'll get.
"In his races he has a lazy way of racing and comes home well, so it will be interesting."
CAMPER Drop to Third in Volvo
CAMPER’s split from PUMA and Telefónica on Friday saw Chris Nicholson’s team drop to third after they pushed hard to the west in search of fresh pressure closer to the Caribbean Islands.
Today however, the status quo amongst the top three boats has been re-established, with CAMPER regaining second after squeezing through the narrowest of gaps between Anguilla and an outlying island.
This bold move saved them around five nautical miles (nm) and when the leading trio re-converged, CAMPER had edged back in second spot.
At 0400 UTC today PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG had a 10 nm lead over CAMPER, with Telefónica a further 10 nm behind in third.
Groupama sailing team in fourth had closed to within 77 nm of the lead, chased hard by fifth placed Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, another eight nm back.
In his latest report from the boat, CAMPER Media Crew Member (MCM) Hamish Hooper described the team’s daring gambit -- which saw the team sneak through the shallow 200 metre wide channel between Anguilla and Scrub Island -- as a ‘signature move’ by navigator Will Oxley.
“Yesterday was one of the most tense, up and down days of the leg,” Hooper said.
“Soon after as we passed the Caribbean islands of St Bart’s and St Martin, a small window of opportunity presented itself when the breeze picked up sufficiently for Will Oxley to give the all clear to shoot a relatively small and shallow gap right between Anguilla and Scrub Island, saving us around 5 miles going around the typically Caribbean named Dead Man’s Cay at the northern end of the island.
“Sailing through a 200 metre gap at 21 knots in six metres of water, was a thrill at least, but the question was soon asked just how many signature moves will it take to win this leg,” Hooper said.
As the top three teams played out their very different strategies, CAMPER skipper Chris Nicholson said yesterday had been like playing a high stakes chess game, with the boats remarkably returning to the same order as before they split.
“It looks like we are going to resume in very similar pieces of water,” he said. “I am honestly not sure which boats will be the most relieved, but we are looking forward to the next rematch.”
By 0700 UTC PUMA had eked out another nautical mile on CAMPER with Telefónica closing the gap on second by a similar amount.
In fourth and fifth, Groupama and Abu Dhabi had made significant gains since 0400 UTC, closing to 60 nm and 72 nm of the lead respectively.
OSM news service
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