Star marathoner Stradivarius will face a maximum field of twelve, when he bids for a hat-trick of victories in the Qatar Goodwood Cup next Tuesday.
John Gosden's millionaire made it back-to-back wins in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month, stretching his unbeaten run to seven - outstaying the likes of De Ex Bee into second and Master Of Reality into third.
Some familiar rivals look set to reoppose him on the Sussex Downs, as the five-year-old goes in search of another seven-figure bonus by completing leg three.
The son of Sea The Stars is also hoping to become just the second horse to win the Glorious Group One feature for stayers three times, joining Mark Johnston's Double Trigger in the history books - a trainer who is represented again with the Gold Cup runner-up and Henry II Stakes winner [De Ex Bee].
Bjorn Nielson's outstanding colt has continued his domination of the staying category, having also won the Yorkshire Cup and the Lonsdale Cup at York, along with the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot inside the last fifteen months.
The challengers are coming however, with the Charlie Appleby-trained Cross Counter - fourth in the Gold Cup, in hot pursuit and looking to be much more suited by the trip of just two miles and no further.
The Melbourne Cup winner also landed the Dubai Gold Cup in Meydan back in March, and was far from disgraced over an unknown trip at Ascot, which was always going to favour the eventual winner.
Ballydoyle boss Aidan O’Brien has revealed that Barbados, Cypress Creek, Southern France, South Pacific, Constantinople and Harpo Marx all remain in tact for the race he won twice with the legendary stayer Yeats in 2006 and 2008.
He will look to dominate the pace and tactics as per usual, whilst elsewhere, Tim Easterby’s Wells Farhh Go will look to step back up in class after impressing from almost a year out when landing the Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket last month.
Royal Ascot winners Cleonte and Dashing Willoughby - both representing Andrew Balding's yard along with Luke Comer’s Raa Atoll complete the potential field.
The Goodwood Cup is the feature race at Glorious Goodwood on July 30.