Racing: John Oxx is well aware staying is likely to be the name of the game when Sea The Stars bids to secure his place in racing legend with victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday.
A truly epic campaign has seen him emulate Nashwan with success in the 2000 Guineas, Derby and Eclipse, while he has also added the Juddmonte International and Irish Champion.
Aidan O'Brien has tried - and failed - to lower his colours all year, but in Derby and Irish Champion runner-up Fame And Glory, who runs out of stall 10, the Ballydoyle team this weekend pose a serious threat back over a mile and a half.
"I think Fame And Glory is the biggest danger on the form and will stay the mile and half well. We think our fellow will stay the distance well, also, but he has only won over it once,” Oxx, who has seen his charge drawn in stall six, said.
"But that will be what they are thinking - that Fame And Glory could be more of a danger to him over a mile and a half.
"Our fellow has too much speed for him over a mile and a quarter. I suppose they'll try and make it a fast pace again and test the stamina to the limit.
"We have been happy with him, he's been fit and healthy all year. We have to hope that he can maintain it now.
"When he is at the races and jumps out of the stalls, he is ready to go.
"But you wouldn't call him a horse that pulls, so a slow pace shouldn't be against him.
"He stayed well at Epsom, he never had any problems.
"We didn't miss the King George because of the distance, I just felt having had a Guineas preparation that it was just time to ease off a little bit, to take the foot off the pedal so to speak.
"It just happened the King George was it. I didn't enjoy missing it as it is a great race and we have been lucky to have won it twice in recent years.
"I would have loved to have run him in it. It would have been either miss that or York, and we worked out that a little break was good.
"Mick (Kinane) has been great on him all year and has so much experience, such a calm approach to all his races, and has been in all these races before.
"He also knows all the idiosyncrasies of the track.
Oxx has declared himself “happy” with the draw that saw his charge placed in stall six and Fame and Glory in stall 10.
Hurricane Run (2005) and Dylan Thomas (2007) both won from stall six.