Nayef silenced his critics with a great performance under Richard Hills to win the Group One Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday.

His victory earned him a 10-1 quote to complete the summer Triple Crown.

The Marcus Tregoning-trained five-year-old, carrying the colours of Hamdan Al Maktoum, had not been seen out since finishing only third in the Dubai World Cup, six lengths behind Moon Ballad, who started favourite to confirm his superiority.

Moon Ballad set off in front but was soon harried and worried by Nayef's stable companion, Ekraar, who was rousted along after a tardy start and cried enough on the home turn.

However, his job had been done, and along came Nayef on the bridle to join issue with Moon Ballad. Once Hills let out a reef, his mount quickened into the lead two furlongs out and surged clear.

He passed the post with two and a half lengths to spare over Rakti, with the filly Islington third-best and Olden Times fourth. Moon Ballad beat only one home.

There was no doubting how much this meant to an emotional Hills, who said: ''I rode this horse every other day during the winter. You get close to horses and I have never been closer to a horse than I have with Nayef.

''He is the best horse I have ridden. They have kept knocking him, but he hit them for six today.''

Tregoning has always been an open book about his horses and there was no disguising how highly he rated this moment of glory.

The remaining races in the Triple Crown series, the Coral Eclipse and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, are now in his sights.

He said: ''We will certainly look at the Triple Crown. If people are willing to put up the money (£1m) it is wrong not to give it proper consideration.

''I will have to speak to Sheikh Hamdan. The Eclipse is a possibility, but the King George very much so, I would say.''

Reflecting on how the race unfolded, he said: ''You could not have expected to have won much easier. He really won it emphatically.

''He has plenty of speed and I am sure he will be well supported when he goes to stud - but hopefully not for a while yet.''

Tregoning was full of praise for Hills, and also for Ekraar's rider, adding: ''Willie Supple did a marvellous job there. The situation looked hopeless from the start, but he is a strong little rider."