On an afternoon that will be packed full of stars at Ascot, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes sees a fascinating clash of generations and sexes between Field Of Gold and Fallen Angel.
John and Thady Gosden's three-year-old Field Of Gold looked imperious in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and at Royal Ascot but has not been seen since sustaining an injury when beaten in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
Karl Burke’s four-year-old filly Fallen Angel has emerged as possibly the best older miler in training, winning the Prix Rothschild, Matron Stakes and Sun Chariot for a Group One hat-trick in her last three starts.
Richard Hannon’s Rosallion is another major player but has endured a frustrating run of placed efforts this term, including when fourth to the reopposing Never So Brave in the City of York over seven furlongs on his penultimate run.
Never So Brave’s trainer Andrew Balding could also run Marvelman, who as highlighted last month has been supplemented for a £70,000 fee.
Roger Teal’s Dancing Gemini is on something of a retrieval mission having run so well in the first half of the season, while Facteur Cheval will try to improve on his second place in the last two renewals.
His trainer Jerome Reynier told Sky Sports Racing: "It was a huge run last year and Charyn was unstoppable at that time.
"There’s not much rain around and we would have preferred softer ground, but that’s the way it is.
"I’m a big fan of him. Although he’s going to turn seven, he is unreal."
Ascot specialist Docklands and Johnny Murtagh’s Alakazi are also among the 17 contenders at this stage.
A huge field looks likely in the Champions Sprint, with 21 confirmed and a maximum field of 20 allowed.
They include previous winner Art Power and Kind Of Blue, July Cup victor No Half Measures and Reynier’s Lazzat, who needs to get back to his Royal Ascot-winning form.
"He was a little bit outpaced (Sprint Cup at Haydock) and this stiffer six furlongs at Ascot will help and the ground will be a little softer which he won’t mind," said Reynier.
"We’re quite hopeful, he’s very consistent and he’s one of the best sprinters in Europe, if not the best."
Montassib, who ran well on his first start of the season recently, will aim to add to his Group One tally having won the Sprint Cup last season.
Big Mojo won that race this year and the dry weather is likely to tempt connections into running, with Flora Of Bermuda and the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Rayevka, who was supplemented along with Rosy Affair, others to note.
Kalpana and Estrange are among 13 confirmations for the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
Having finished seventh in the Arc, Kalpana would be out again quickly whereas Estrange was declared for Longchamp but was under the weather just two days before the race.
The Owen Burrows-trained Waardah has been progressive this season and will be among the favourites, while Graffard’s Quisisana was just behind Kalpana in the Arc and One Look is a notable addition having finished a close-up third in the Prix de l’Opera.
Only five were confirmed for the British Champions Long Distance Cup, but Aidan O’Brien’s St Leger third Stay True was supplemented to take the maximum field possible up to six.
Trawlerman, the 2023 winner, is likely to be a warm favourite given he has emerged as the leading stayer since the retirement of Kyprios.
Al Qareem, Sunway, Saratoga and Sweet William were the others to be confirmed.
