George Washington heads a final field of nine horses set to go to post for tomorrow's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.
Aidan O'Brien's exciting 2,000 Guineas winner will look to regain the winning thread in the £250,000 attraction, in which he will be joined by stablemates River Tiber and recent Listed-scorer Ivan Denisovich.
Among his opposition in a mouth-watering renewal is his Irish 2,000 Guineas conqueror Araafa - not seen since finishing fifth in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood - and John Gosden's Coronation Stakes heroine Nannina. An in-form Godolphin team rely on Proclamation and Librettist, the latter going in search of a third consecutive victory in Group One company, while Ed Dunlop's Court Masterpiece bids to confirm there was no fluke about his impressive Sussex Stakes victory.
The field is completed by the Barry Hills-trained Killybegs, who finished one place in front of George Washington when the pair met at Goodwood late last month.
George Washington currently trades at 6 to 4 favourite with Coral for this weekend's feature event, although the firm believe he could be sent off at a bigger price on the day.
"Having been a beaten favourite on his last two starts George Washington has not surprisingly proved friendless in the betting this week, and he could well go off 2 to 1 or bigger come race time on Saturday," explained Simon Clare, Coral's spokesman.
Frankie Dettori is almost certain not to have the chance to equal his historic "magnificent seven" at Ascot tomorrow.
The popular Italian, who hit the headlines when going through the card at odds of 25,095 to 1 at this meeting 10 years ago, has just the five rides this time. He is currently without a mount in the second and third races on the card.
After teaming up with the strongly-fancied Librettist Dettori completes his day on the Philip McEntee-trained Indian Steppes in the Independent Newspaper Rosemary Stakes (Handicap) and Charles Cyzer's Establishment in the Caplan Gordon Carter Stakes (Handicap).
QUEEN ELIZABETH II STAKES (Coral bet): 6-4 George Washington, 10-3 Librettist, 5-1 Court Masterpiece, 6-1 Araafa, 7-1 Proclamation, 20-1 Nannina, 33-1 Killybegs, Ivan Denisovich, 100-1 River Tiber.
