Battaash, the horse who may well be the fastest on the planet, is the star attraction at York on Friday when bidding for a second Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes.
Quite brilliant here last year and fresh from a record-breaking performance at Goodwood, the only hope for his rivals is an off day such as when going conditions were extremely soft in the Prix de l'Abbaye at Paris-Longchamp last October.
Before last year's Nunthorpe win, Battaash had also blown out on two previous Nunthorpe attempts here, but he looks a more mature horse nowadays and is ridden to burn off rivals later in his races than from the start.
Art Power, unbeaten in three starts this season, is the obvious alternative and will appreciate some give in the ground, but has 11lb to find with Battaash on official ratings.
In the absence of Britain's star stayer Stradivarius, Friday's Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup offers the opportunity for a new name to emerge and I am hoping that ENBIHAAR, a personal favourite, will relish the step up in trip to two miles.
John Gosden's strapping mare has been wonderful to watch in the past year or so and comes here after a second successive victory in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood last month having won four times in 2019 before finishing a fine third at Group One level in France.
On his form in Cup races, Nayef Road will be a hard nut to crack having twice finished an honourable second to Stradivarius this season, but Mark Johnston's grinder has not run quite so well at York in the past.
Earlier, ALFAATIK looks an interesting runner for the Gosden team in the opening Sky Bet Handicap.
The lightly-raced four-year-old, who is related to several soft ground performers, has been off the course since May of last year when very wayward, but he has been gelded since and it could be significant that connections have kept the faith in him.
A winner on his debut at Chelmsford, Alfaatik still looked very green when running on in the closing stages behind Bangkok in the Classic Trial at Sandown next time and that form certainly gives him a big shout here.
One subsequent outing at Goodwood was disappointing and, while clearly talented, his mind didn't seem to be in the right place.
Now, with his sights slightly lowered - and hopefully a bit more mature - Jim Crowley's mount can fulfil his obvious potential.
Later on, JOHAN can return to winning ways in the Sky Bet Mile Handicap.
The William Haggas-trained colt produced a fine performance first time out at Newbury in June when ridden from off the pace to peg back the promising Breathalyze with plenty of daylight back to the third.
At the time, that looked a decent handicap and Johan was not seen to best effect subsequently when getting no cover at all behind the clear leader at Ascot before proving vulnerable in the closing stages behind Tsar.
This powerful type will surely be ridden differently here by James Doyle and, if so, has the ability to go close for a trainer who loves to have winners on the Knavesmire.
Posted at 1605 BST on 20/08/20
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