Charlie Hills accepts it will take a special performance from Muhaarar to win the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) from stall 18.
The Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt showed a dazzling turn of foot to beat Estidhkaar in the Greenham at Newbury but has been done no favours ahead of his bid for Classic glory at Longchamp on Sunday.
"Obviously we could have fared better with the draw, but we can't do anything about that," said Hills.
"Everything has gone absolutely perfect since the Greenham, I couldn't be happier with the horse.
"The ground has dried up a bit since midweek, which is in his favour, but he'll have to be very good to overcome the draw."
Andre Fabre's Make Believe is likely to vie with Highland Reel for favouritism but the master trainer is hardly brimming with confidence.
Having won twice as a juvenile, he was beaten on his return in the Prix Djebel, with the winner of that race, Ride Like The Wind, only mid-division at Newmarket last weekend.
"Make Believe did well last year and ran well on his comeback," said Fabre.
"He looks good, but you'd have to question the form of the Djebel, with the horse that won only finishing ninth at Newmarket."
Fabre also runs the Khalid Abdullah-owned New Bay, second on his only run as a two-year-old and a winner at Longchamp last month.
"New Bay is a nice colt, he won well on his return," said Fabre.
"I think he'll be better with another two furlongs but we will see how he does.
"He's running here with a view to running in the Jockey Club (French Derby) and he's working very well.
"I think he might just lack the experience to win."
Saeed bin Suroor sends Maftool, who enjoyed a fruitful spell at the Dubai Carnival, over from his Newmarket base.
Having shown good juvenile form, the soft ground was not in his favour when he was unplaced in the Dewhurst last October.
"He's doing good. He won the UAE Guineas and was second in the UAE Derby," said Bin Suroor.
"When he came back from Dubai he was in quarantine so we gave him a bit of a break.
"He's been working nicely in Newmarket so we'll see how he runs.
"I think in the future he'll need 10 furlongs but let's see how he does here first - we have to start somewhere.
"He'd prefer good ground but it shouldn't be too soft, hopefully."
Kevin Ryan's Flaming Spear has always been highly regarded, though he only has a maiden win at York to his name.
He had his second run in the Greenham but was well beaten when the ground was apparently too fast.
"It was very much the ground that beat Flaming Spear at Newbury and he has been working very well since then," said David Redvers, racing manager to joint-owners Qatar Racing.
"He is a big, strong-topped horse that just didn't enjoy that rock-hard ground at Newbury and the ground in France will be more to his liking.
"He may have gone under the radar, but we are hoping for a big run."
Redvers also looks after the interests of Pearl Bloodstock, who own the Francis Graffard-trained Cornwallville.
"He was claimed last year and he has already been a fantastic investment," said Redvers.
"Sheikh Fahad claimed him and he just kept on improving, so much so that he won a Listed race on his final run last season and another first time out this year.
"He has won his last two starts at Listed level so is battle-hardened and in top form.
"He's in flying form, so why not have a go? It would be a nice surprise if he puts in a bold show."
Aidan O'Brien runs two, with Ryan Moore on leading contender Highland Reel and Colm O'Donoghue aboard War Envoy.
The Graffard-trained Karar, who was supplemented, will be the mount of Frankie Dettori, with Richard Hannon's Smaih, last seen winning the Horris Hill, representing the same Al Shaqab connections.
