Czech Republic star Nagano Gold is heading back to France to contest the Grand Prix de Deauville again, after his excellent performance at Royal Ascot.
Connections are forming their path towards a crack at the big one in Longchamp later in the year, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, after he was just touched off by Defoe in the Hardwicke Stakes.
The five-year-old may have even faired better under Christophe Soumillion but for being badly hampered exiting the stalls by Charlie Appleby's Masar who stumbled.
The Godolphin boss trained Loxley to win this Group Two last season beating Vaclav Luka's globetrotter by three-and-a-half lengths, but the latter does carry winning form at the track from November 2017.
All set for another tilt at the €200,000 prize on August 25, Tom Janda - racing manager to Luka jnr provided on update following Nagano Gold's first ever outing in Britain.
(Credit: Racing Post) He said: "He's come out of the Ascot race fine and in good form. We'll most likely run him in the Grand Prix de Deauville with a view to going for the Arc should he run well.
"The Arc is a race we feel could suit him well and of course it is a race full of seriously talented horses. The Prix Foy is an option beforehand to see how he fares at the track.
"Christophe [Soumillon] felt he would have won at Ascot without the incidents at the start and in the straight but nevertheless it was a great day for everybody involved, albeit we were a little bit unlucky.
"He's a super horse for racing in the Czech Republic. He's the best in the country and central Europe."
Connections of the horse did ponder a quick return to Ascot to contest the Qipco King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes next weekend, but decided against supplementing him at the cost of £80,000.
The Group One Grosser Preis Von Berlin at Hoppegarten was also given as another option in under a month's time.
Janda continued: "We did give it plenty of thought after his good run at the royal meeting but decided against it.
"There are plenty of opportunities later in the season that do not require supplementing."
Defoe meanwhile - Nagano Gold's conqueror in the Hardwicke will most likely return to Ascot for the coveted Group One at the royal course, and is currently priced around the 10/1 mark.
His trainer Roger Varian said: "He's in good shape and fully deserves to be in the line up. He's solid, uncomplicated and should there be any chinks in the armoury of the top two he'd be there to exploit them, we hope.
“He's ultra consistent, has a wonderful attitude and a lot of ability, he'd just have a little to find on ratings with the top two."