Frankie Dettori will ride Swain in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth at Ascot on Saturday, for which nine horses were confirmed at yesterday's five-day acceptance stage.
Swain's owners Godolphin sprang a surprise by declaring four for the £600,000 contest. Not only did Sheikh Mohammed's organisation leave last year's winner Swain, CoralEclipse Stakes scorer Daylami and Happy Valentine (running "as security against a falsely-run race") in Saturday's Ascot feature. But they have also declared Italian Derby winner and Eclipse third, Central Park.
Explaining the decision at Ayr yesterday, Saeed bin Suroor said: "That is only in case something went wrong with Happy Valentine. I don't think we would run four in the race."
Michael Kinane will partner Daylami, while Daragh O'Donohoe will be on Happy Valentine.
Henry Cecil relies on antepost favourite Royal Anthem, winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Luca Cumani declared Vodafone Derby winner HighRise, John Dunlop Coronation Cup scorer Silver Patriarch and Peter Chapple-Hyam the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud second Romanov.
The sole Irish-trained acceptor is Risk Material, whose participation hinges on a decision by Aidan O'Brien later this week.
Kieren Fallon took the riding honours at Ayr yesterday with a sparkling 12 to 1 double including the feature £30,000 Tennent Caledonian Breweries Scottish Classic on Winter Romance.
The champion jockey was at his best as he produced soft ground specialist Winter Romance inside the final furlong to deny Dettori on board Rabi by a length and a quarter.
After Lord of Men had cut out the early running, King Alex took over at the head of affairs in the straight. However, they were queuing up behind Roger Charlton's charge and there were four in a line at the two pole with favourite Alboostan joining the leader and eventual winner and runner-up.
With the opposition seemingly struggling to last home it was Fallon who got the best run to give Winter Romance his fourth victory.
Fallon had earlier been successful on Rakeeb, who took the Highland Mary Stakes with a nine-length verdict over the front-running Magic of Aloha.
Ray Cochrane grabbed the riding honours at Wolverhampton with a double on two well-backed winners. He went to the midlands track for only three rides and, after finishing second in the opener on Yeoman Oliver, he went one better on the well-supported Moocha Cha Man in the Castle Hill Casino Maiden and was later successful on Grand Chapeau in the Marston's Pedigree Handicap.
