Adrian Bott is unfazed by the prospect of Lady Of Camelot facing the mares in the Coolmore Classic, confident that her spring campaign has set her up perfectly for the challenge. Although she hasn’t won in her last eight starts since her Golden Slipper triumph, she has consistently competed against top-tier horses, including a strong performance in the Moir Stakes (1000m) and a solid run in The Everest (1200m).

Bott believes these efforts demonstrate that Lady Of Camelot is a genuine contender to become the first three-year-old since Typhoon Tracy in 2009 to win the Coolmore Classic (1500m). “She has taken on the older horses before, open company, weight-for-age, so I don’t mind her taking on the open mares,” he said. “She’s right on track. She ran great the other day and has come on well. It looks a nice race for her.”

Lady Of Camelot ($7) will be one of three fillies in Saturday’s Group 1 field, alongside $2.20 favourite Lady Shenandoah, who narrowly defeated her in the Surround Stakes (1400m), and Manaal ($23). This will be her first attempt beyond 1400m and her first return to Rosehill since her Golden Slipper victory last year. “She’s won the Golden Slipper and Widden (Stakes) there, so she’s had a bit of experience and enjoys the track,” Bott said. “It was a really good effort (in the Surround Stakes). I thought she ran out the 1400 metres strongly.”

With Lazzura scratched to run in the Phar Lap Stakes (1500m), Lady Of Camelot will jump from barrier 13 of 14 as she aims to become just the second Golden Slipper winner since Bounding Away (1987) to win the Coolmore Classic.