The brilliant Baaeed bids to remain unbeaten as he tackles 10 furlongs for the first time in the Juddmonte International at York.
Regarded by many as the best since Frankel, William Haggas' son of Sea The Stars has the chance to replicate his esteemed sire by taking the step up to a mile and a quarter in his stride when he bounds up the Knavesmire.
Victory on Wednesday would take the four-year-old’s winning streak to a perfect 10, while it would also be his sixth straight success at Group One level as racing’s latest superstar attempts to cement his place as world number one.
It is 10 years since Frankel made light work of his first attempt at the distance when sauntering to a seven-length success in front of his adoring fans, and devotees of the sport are set to make the pilgrimage to the Knavesmire once again as Baaeed puts his stamina to the test.
"It’s well documented the trip is the one part of the jigsaw we don’t know the answer to," said Angus Gold, owner Shadwell’s long-standing racing manager.
"I’ve gone on record as saying I’ll be amazed if it is a lack of stamina that gets him beat. There might be a better horse, but I would be surprised if it is a lack of stamina.
"Of course you don’t know until you try and I’m very interested in the opinion of some people I respect greatly who have said he’s never going to stay the trip – which surprises me greatly. But he’s a very relaxed horse and his style of racing will give him every chance of getting it.
"His full-brother (Hukum) stays well and gets much further, which doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything and this horse has a lot of speed and a lot of class. But personally I would be surprised if he doesn’t stay."
Connections of both Native Trail and Mishriff know the size of the task in trying to lower the colours of the favourite – but both have reasons to be optimistic when it comes to a fascinating renewal of the York showpiece.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, Native Trail was last season's champion two-year-old and while he lost his unbeaten record to stablemate Coroebus in the 2000 Guineas, he did claim Classic glory in the Irish equivalent.
Mishriff, meanwhile, has little to prove – and was a brilliant winner of this race 12 months ago. He was beaten en route in the Eclipse and King George, so the fact he has been so again is not unnerving to the John and Thady Gosden team.
The pair met in the Eclipse, with Native Trail one place behind the unlucky-looking Mishriff in third.
Appleby is full of respect for Baaeed, while also speaking of his admiration for the physical presence of Native Trail.
"It’s a fantastic race with a rich history and has been won by some great horses," Appleby told the Godolphin website.
"Baaeed is top class with an outstanding profile, who holds everything in front of him, but we feel we have the right horse to take him on and make a race of it.
"Racing likes to see good horses go at one another and hopefully that’s what we will see at York. Native Trail’s work has been great.
"The condition of this horse is second to none. He thrives on his work, and after giving him a break following the Eclipse last month, we have been winding his work up week by week.
"He is thriving, you can see that in him as an individual. He is progressing with each piece of work. He goes into the race off the back of a very uncomplicated training programme. You ask, and he delivers."
He added: "Baaeed is the horse we all have to beat and respect. But the confidence we take into the race is that Native Trail has been over the trip.
"He finished a creditable third against some very nice middle-distance horses at Sandown. He’s a champion two-year-old, who has gone on to win a Classic at three, a multiple Group One winner with six wins from eight starts – that’s an impressive CV."
A tardy start in the King George did Mishriff no favours, and is a trait he also displayed at Sandown, but Thady Gosden believes he is in the same form as last year.
"Mishriff has come back from Ascot in very good form and the one-mile-and-two-furlong Juddmonte trip suits him well," he said ahead of the Qipco British Champions Series contest.
"Giving away ground at the start of a race of the King George’s quality is a serious hindrance, but he’s got plenty of speed and the shorter distance is what he’s best at.
"It’s interesting, and Baaeed is obviously brilliantly talented. He relaxes well and you would be shocked if he didn’t get the trip, but he’s taking on top class mile-and-a-quarter horses and I think it’s fair to say that it’s a stronger division than the miling division at the moment.
"Mishriff seems to be in similar form now as he was when he went to York last year. He ran a huge race in the Eclipse and was perhaps unlucky there. His work gives us a pretty good measure of where he’s at, and he’s in very good form.
"It’s great to see these horses take each other on. Whatever happens, it’s going to be an exceptional race."
