Sea Moon aims to give Michael Stoute's season a significant boost when he goes for glory in Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
The Barbados-born master of Freemason Lodge has plundered multiple top-level prizes in various different countries during an illustrious career, but it is now almost two years since his last Group One victory, when Workforce landed the 2010 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
However, victory for Sea Moon, who won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot on his last start, would make Stoute the winning-most trainer in King George history with six triumphs.
"I love the race," said Stoute.
"It's one of the great middle-distances races in the calendar in Europe.
"He's got a shot, but it's a very, very tough race and we're hopeful rather than confident."
Jockey Ryan Moore believes Sea Moon could still be progressing ahead of his date with destiny.
"It will take a hell of a lot of winning," Moore told his Betfair column.
"He has a fair bit to find with a few of these, but I was really taken with Sea Moon at Ascot and we have been happy with him at home since.
"He is hopefully still unexposed and on an upward curve."
In stark contrast to the fortunes of Stoute, John Gosden is enjoying a fantastic summer.
The Clarehaven maestro saddles Nathaniel, but insists his charge has plenty on his plate turned out just a fortnight after his Coral-Eclipse victory at Sandown.
"It's only a two-week gap, and I can't emphasise how tough that is for a horse," said Gosden.
"He had a hard race at Sandown but he has eaten well, he looks well and has been scoping great.
"You need to have a go at these top races."
The Aidan O'Brien-trained St Nicholas Abbey beat Sea Moon in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf and looked better than ever when running away with the Coronation Cup at Epsom.
The trainer's son and jockey, Joseph O'Brien, said: "He won well the last time and he seems to be in good enough form.
"Hopefully the ground will dry out - it wouldn't be ideal for it to be too soft."
Fourth in the betting is the Mikel Delzangles-trained French raider Dunaden, winner of the Melbourne Cup and Hong Kong Vase in 2011 and a fast-finishing second in the Hardwicke.
David Redvers, racing manager for owners Pearl Bloodstock, told At The Races: "He's thrived since the Hardwicke.
"I'm capable of saying silly-sounding things, but I'm not actually worried about the opposition.
"I'm worried about him getting a clear run because he has to come from off the pace as that's his style and it would be cruel if he ran into trouble again."
German trainer Peter Schiergen saddles last year's Arc heroine Danedream, who was last of four in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in June.
He said: "It was a slow pace in her last race and she doesn't like it.
"I hope the pace is better on Saturday and she will run better.
"It's a strong race and I hope she can run well.
"I hope she is in top form."
Joining Dunaden and Reliable Man on the cross-Channel trip is the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained Reliable Man, fourth in the Prince of Wales's Stakes last time.
Royer-Dupre said: "He finished his last race very strong and with the longer distance, maybe he can have a better place in the race and can finish in the same way."
Making a much longer journey from the Far East is Japanese Derby winner Deep Brillante.
Racing manager Keita Tanaka said: "The three-year-old Japanese horses this year are quite competitive and he is one of the best ones among them, so it is quite interesting to see how he goes against the very best horses in this country."
Brown Panther won over the course and distance in last year's King George V Stakes before finishing second in the St Leger.
He ran abysmally on his seasonal return at Chester, but bounced back with an authoritative victory in lesser company at Pontefract.
Trainer Tom Dascombe said: "The distance and conditions are in our favour and I'm sure he'll run as well as he's able to."
