High Top was one of the leading British two-year-olds of 1971 when his successes included a defeat of a strong field in the Observer Gold Cup.
As a descendant of the broodmare Gentlemen's Relish, Camenae came from the same branch of Thoroughbred family 11-a which also produced the German champion Acatenango and the Prix du Jockey Club and Irish Derby winner Old Vic.
After winning his debut, High Top ran in the Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury, where finished second to Yarsolav, a colt to whom he was conceding three pounds.
Ridden by the Scottish jockey Willie Carson he won by three quarters of a length from Steel Pulse, a colt which went on to win the following year's Irish Derby.
With both Crowned Prince and Sharpen Up failing in their respective trials, High Top was Van Cutsem's sole representative in the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket on 29 April.
[2] With Carson again in the saddle, he started the 85/40 favourite against eleven opponents, his form having been boosted by the success of Waterloo in the 1000 Guineas two days earlier.
[9] High Top was strongly fancied to follow up in the Irish 2,000 Guineas but finished unplaced behind Ballymore and returned to Newmarket a sick horse.
In their book A Century of Champions, based on a modified version of the Timeform system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated High Top an "average" winner of the 2000 Guineas.