SPRING EXCITES DANNY

Russian Camelot and Vow And Declare headline Danny O'Brien's stable of stars, but the Flemington and Barwon Heads-based trainer is confident he has a strong arsenal being set for this year's Spring Carnival.

He ran Racing.com through just a few of the horses he's excited to see compete throughout the spring.

Vow And Declare & Russian Camelot

"They're brilliant. I have been down on Thirteenth Beach with them every morning for the last three or four weeks and they couldn't be in better shape," O'Brien said.

"Both horses are in really, really good order. They do plenty of work down here, don't worry.

"They're working harder here than they will at any stage during the spring. But they're not going to run until September.

"We think the Makybe is probably the kick-off for both of them at this stage. We still have a fair way away to potentially trial at Flemington on the 10th of August, I think we have a set of trials on the course proper.

"That will be a good chance for them to get down to Flemington and have a stretch of their legs on the course proper."

Russian Camelot is $11 favourite for the Melbourne Cup with BetEasy while Vow And Declare is a $26 hope to defend his crown.

Miami Bound

"We are going to get her started early, might even run at Flemington on the 8th of August," O'Brien said of the VRC Oaks winner.

"She appreciates Flemington, she appreciates a bit of cut in the ground. She's pretty forward and potentially she will start early in the spring and then let us know where she goes from there."

Flying Award

"He will kick-off probably at Moonee Valley and head towards the Caulfield Guineas, potentially through the Stutt Stakes," O'Brien said.

"We have got a lot of rising three-year-olds that are going to kick off for us in August/September that we really like."

Story by Ryan Reynolds for Racing.com

Pics by Racing Photos