Cameron Chasing Guineas' Double

The NZ Racing Desk reports:

Premier jockey Matt Cameron wants to double up.

The South Auckland hoop has been stable jockey for the powerful Te Akau Racing Stable for the past few seasons and landed his first Group One win for the operation in last Saturday's 2000 Guineas aboard ultra-impressive winner Xtravagant.

Matt Cameron

He partners Darci Brahma filly Risque in Saturday's Gr.1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas with the intention of doubling his tally of elite-level wins for the stable within the space of a week.

"I'd won everything else but a Group One for Te Akau before last weekend so it was good to finally get that one - and to do it in the manner that we did was pretty special," Cameron said.

Cameron is still savouring Xtravagant's 8.5 length win in race record time in the 2000 Guineas but is anxious to complete his Riccarton Group One set with 1000 Guineas success on Saturday with Risque.

"She's a top chance. It's a bit more of an even race than last weekend because there's a good handful of fillies that go into it as winning chances," Cameron said.

"But my filly has done nothing wrong in her lead-up races. She's flying and she's had a decent couple of weeks break going into this so she'll be cherry ripe.

"They've had a bit of rain in Christchurch so the easing of the ground will help her too. She's got a good draw [barrier three] and I think she can win."

Raced by The Oaks Stud, Risque has gone on from a maiden win at Ashburton three starts back to a fast-finishing second in the Zacinto Guineas Trial at Riccarton and a last-start win over Son Of Maher in the Listed Armadillo Stakes.

A savvy ride saw Cameron go straight to the lead with a decisive move early from barrier 13 aboard Xtravagant last week and he again intends taking up a prominent position in the 1000 Guineas.

"As long as she's within reach anyway. I'd like to be racing in the first three or four," he said.

Cameron, currently second on the premiership, has a strong book at Riccarton with impressive debut winner Sassy 'N' Smart, the horse to beat in the Listed Barneswood Farm Agistment Welcome Stakes (1000m).

"She's a really smart filly. She's beaten most of those horses already and she's probably the pick of my rides," he said.

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