Economics and Calandagan are set to do battle in the Group 1 Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot after both horses featured among the twelve declarations on Thursday morning.
Al Riffa, Luxembourg, Henry Longfellow, Content and Hans Anderson were the only five horses not to stand their ground, leaving a final field of twelve for Saturday's feature.
The William Haggas-trained Economics will put this season's unbeaten record on the line after his impressive defeat of Auguste Rodin in the Irish equivalent last time. Haggas and Marquand teamed up to land the valuable Group 1 showpiece with Addeybb in 2020.
Standing in his way, Calandagan. French trainer Francis Graffard has already enjoyed top-level success at Ascot this season when Goliath's landed the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes and he will be hoping Calandagan, who returns to the same track as his six-length win in the King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal meeting, can get back to winning ways after finding only the Breeders' Cup Classic-bound City Of Troy too strong in the Juddmonte International.
The top two in the market will be joined by Aidan O'Brien's Irish Derby hero and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe third Los Angeles. Stablemate Continuous, who also ran in the Arc last-time-out, is the only other contender from Ballydoyle.
Calandagan isn't the only horse flying the flag for France as Iresine bids to give jockey Marie Velon a first career success in Britain. The son of Manduro arrives having won the Group 2 Prix Foy by a head at Longchamp last month.
King's Gambit will be ridden by Oisin Murphy for the first time, while last year's Prix d'Ispahan winner Anmaat and John and Thady Gosden's multiple Group 1 heroine Nashwa add further depth to the twelve-strong line-up.
Charyn heads 13 declared for QEII
Roger Varian's Charyn will face a maximum of twelve rivals as he bids to add to an excellent season in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
A commanding winner of the Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal meeting, the Roger Varian-trained grey went on to land the Prix Jacques le Marois before finishing second in a tactical Prix du Moulin.
Tamfana will be hoping she can double her Group 1 tally after breaking the duck in the Sun Chariot Stakes two weeks ago, while connections of improving Joel Stakes winner Prague will be hopeful the £70,000 they spent to supplement will prove wise.
French 2000 Guineas winner Metropolitan and last year's runner-up Facteur Cheval both look interesting contenders from across the British Channel.
Elsewhere on the card, Kyprios and Trawlerman are set to do battle in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup once more, with the former bidding to make it a perfect seven from seven this season and turn to tables on John and Thady Gosden's six-year-old, who narrowly prevailed twelve months ago.
Trawlerman's stablemate Sweet William will be trying to build on his career-best performance in the Doncaster Cup, while Tom Clover's new recruit Al Nayyir cannot be ignored lightly after an emphatic triumph at Newmarket last month.
Kinross will have the chance to regain his Qipco British Champions Sprint crown after finding only Ramatuelle too strong in the Prix de la Foret on Arc day, with Cieren Fallon eyeing back-to-back Group 1 victories as he partners Haydock Sprint Cup winner Montassib.
Andrew Balding's impressive September Stakes scorer Kalpana heads fourteen declarations in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
