Royal Ascot Prince Of Wales’s Stakes Preview

The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes has been won by some top class horses over the years, notably Dubai Millennium (2001), Ouija Board (2006) and last year by So You Think.

This year the race is being billed as a rematch between Al Kazeem and Camelot after their recent clash in the Tattersalls’ Gold Cup at The Curragh.

Roger Charlton has always held a high opinion of Al Kazeem and the five-year-old put up a career-best performance to defeat last year’s 2000 Guineas and Derby winner. He had previously won the Group 3 Sir Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown, form that has since been boosted by the third-placed Ektihaam.

Camelot won well on his return to action but had no answer when Al Kazeem loomed up alongside at the Curragh, eventually losing by a length and a half. Having won the Derby and finished second in the St Leger, it may be that Camelot will be asked to kick for home sooner at Ascot over this ten furlong trip.

The Fugue could make her seasonal debut here for John Gosden. She was a high-class filly last season, winning the Musidora and Nassau Stakes over this distance in fine style. She may not quite have got home over a mile and a half in the Epsom Oaks but looked unlucky when third in the Filly & Mare Turf at the Breeders’ Cup in November.

France could have a strong contender in Maxios, winner of the Group 1 Prix D’Isaphan. The son of Monsun seems to be improving at the age of five and produced a good turn of foot to beat Planteur at Longchamp.

Godolphin look set to pin their hopes in Saint Baudolino. The son of Pivotal was trained in France by Andre Fabre last season and finished second in the French Derby and a close third in the Grand Prix de Paris.

He finished fourth to Hunters Light at Meydan on his first start for his new connections in February and is open to improvement. Mukhadram held off Main Sequence in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes but this represents a further step up in class.