Camelot team confident in rematch

Joseph O'Brien is confident Camelot can silence the doubters and return to his brilliant best in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot today.

The Montjeu colt was hailed a potential superstar after he followed up an unbeaten juvenile campaign with victories in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, Investec Derby at Epsom and Irish Derby at the Curragh, but he then suffered defeats in the St Leger and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Although he suffered a life-threatening bout of colic not long afterwards, trainer Aidan O'Brien confirmed the apple of his eye would return for a four-year-old campaign, but after a winning return to action in the Mooresbridge Stakes he was beaten by Al Kazeem in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. The two renew rivalry in today's ten-furlong feature.

O'Brien jnr said: "We've done one or two things a bit differently at home with him since (the Curragh) and we're hoping he can improve.

"After what happened last year (colic), sometimes the first time they have a proper race again it can come as a bit of a shock. He seems in good form at home, we're happy with him and we're hoping he's going to run a big race."

O'Brien snr told At The Races: "We've been looking forward to him and this will be his big test in high summer. We've been very happy with him since the Curragh. Ascot was the main target for the first half of the year and we were taking him along gently. He had the setback in the winter and everything was slowly building up to Ascot.

"You'd be happy Al Kazeem is running again, as we can gauge Camelot then and see if he is making the progression we hope he is going to make. I think it's good for the race, it will be good competition and we look forward to the race."

While the O'Brien camp are expecting Camelot to be a different horse to the one that turned up at the Curragh last month, Roger Charlton sees no reason why Al Kazeem cannot also progress.

The trainer said: "I think and hope he has come on again since his last run. I think he's fitter, he looks well, he's eating well and is in a good place mentally. It's a better race than what he ran in last time. At the Curragh we had one horse to beat, this time we've got eight horses to beat.

"Camelot is there, I'd respect The Fugue and one or two others - it's a Group 1 race. I don't think we have any excuses before the race. It might be different afterwards! We'll see."