Roger Varian’s True Cyan will be put to the test in the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday.

The grey is a daughter of No Nay Never and the smart mare Realtra, a multiple Group winner who was also trained at Carlburg Stables by Varian.

True Cyan has run once to date, competing in a seven-furlong maiden on the Rowley Mile last September and prevailing by a length and a half.

She now returns to the same course and distance but at Group Three level to test her credentials in the Nell Gwynn, a race that can often serve as a trial to the various 1000 Guineas contests in Europe.

“She won her maiden well on the same track last autumn, we’re really on a mission to find out where we might go with her and what we might do this season,” said Chris Wall, racing manager to owner Shaikh Khalid’s KHK Racing organisation.

“It looks a good opportunity to do that, it’s a competitive race and depending on how we run, we’ll know what we’re going to do in the future.

“She’s wintered well, she’s been training satisfactorily, we’re hopeful of a positive effort and then we’ll take it from there.”

There are proven Group performers in the race in Matrika and Dance Sequence and those horses will act as good yardsticks for True Cyan as connections seek to understand her calibre.

“If you’re going to be stakes class, you’ll have to be up there competing with them – and if not, we’ll have to go down another route with her,” Wall said.

“We’ll see, we’ll know a lot more after her run tomorrow but she’s done everything in the right way and has been training nicely, we’re hoping for a nice run.”

Godolphin and Charlie Appleby’s Dance Sequence heads the market at present.

A winner of a July Course maiden last summer, the Dubawi filly then contested the Oh So Sharp over the Nell Gwyn course and distance and prevailed again.

That latter run was at Group Three level and the three-year-old now returns to start her season at the same grade.

“Dance Sequence has done very well over the winter,” Appleby said on the Godolphin website.

“She has already won over the course and distance in the Oh So Sharp Stakes and looks the one to beat again.”

Aidan O’Brien is represented in the race by Matrika, another daughter of No Nay Never who steps up to seven furlongs having last been seen winning the Group Two Airlie Stud Stakes at the Curragh.

Prior to that, she won her maiden and was second in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot when coming home a length behind subsequent Cheveley Park heroine Porta Fortuna.

Ryan Moore takes the ride and told Betfair: “Dance Sequence has looked pretty good in winning in both her starts, including the Oh So Sharp Stakes, but I don’t think my filly is far behind her, if at all.

“Her only defeat came in the Albany at Royal Ascot, when second to the subsequent Cheveley Park winner and Breeders’ Cup runner-up Porta Fortuna, and she did it well for me in a Group Two at the Curragh subsequently.

“We didn’t see her after that win in July but the fact that she is here speaks for itself, Aidan has his horses in very good nick and, while she has plenty of speed, I’d have thought she will get the extra furlong here OK.

“But there are a few promising horses in this, and this certainly isn’t a straight match between us and the Godolphin horse, for all Dance Sequence is the hot favourite in here, I see.”

Elsewhere in the race is John and Thady Gosden’s Spiritual, fourth in the Rockfel on her last outing of 2023, with Richard Fahey’s Dubawi filly Pretty Crystal entered after collecting a Group Three placing last term.

Dual St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov has likely run his last race as he recovers from a neck injury sustained in the stalls at the Dubai World Cup.

The Roger Varian-trained five-year-old was due to contest the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan on Saturday to kick off his 2024 campaign after landing the Irish St Leger on his final run last season.

He was loaded into the stalls but another horse kicked out and unsettled him, causing him to rear up and hit his head before being withdrawn from the contest.

The son of Dubawi was sent to the local equine hospital and later treated by two specialist vets who flew over from America at the request of owner Shaikh Khalid.

Eldar Eldarov has undergone an operation on a fracture to his neck and though he is not out of the woods, there are encouraging signs of his recovery after the procedure.

“He had an operation on Tuesday to stabilise a fracture in his neck, initially when he was in that post-operative phase, he had a rough time of things but he’s making progress now,” said Chris Wall, racing manager for Shaikh Khalid’s organisation.

“It will be small steps, he’s got a long way to go but the future is looking brighter than it did 48 hours ago.

“He’s in good hands in the equine hospital in Dubai, they’ve done a very good job so far.

“We flew in two vets from America who said they thought they’d be able to do something for him and they have.

“We are thankful and grateful to them, and to Shaikh Khalid for insisting that we left no stone unturned to try to give the horse a future.

“He still has quite a long way to go, he’s by no means in the clear yet, but the progress report this morning (Wednesday) was positive and he’s moving in the right direction.”

Eldar Eldarov’s future will either be at stud or in complete retirement, depending on how he fares in his recuperation.

“I think we can safely say he won’t be returning to racing, it’s now a question of whether he can do a stud job or whether he just has a happy retirement somewhere,” said Wall.

“We’ll have to see, that all depends on how his recovery goes and it’s a bit early to say for certain.”

Roger Varian is taking the positives out of Charyn’s easy victory at Doncaster on Saturday ahead of Eldar Eldarov’s run in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan.

Winner of the St Leger at Doncaster in 2022, he added another Group One when successful in the Irish version last season.

That was his last outing of the year, with connections electing to bypass Champions Day at Ascot, but he has been in training for a while ahead of his trip to Dubai.

The race is over two miles, however, a distance over which Eldar Eldarov has yet to win at.

“Everything has gone to plan and hopefully the victory of Charyn is a plus,” said Varian.

“They are different types of horse but they have been doing a lot of work on a similar programme because they both had early-season targets.

“So Charyn winning hopefully tells me that Eldar is probably ready, so we are looking forward to it.

“I just wish it was a mile and six (furlongs) because he seems to love the mile and six trip – but two miles around there should be OK.”

Silvestre de Sousa made the best possible start to the new turf season when teaming up with Roger Varian’s Charyn to win the William Hill Doncaster Mile.

The former champion jockey has only recently returned from a 10-month suspension picked up in Hong Kong for breaching betting rules.

De Sousa, 43, has been getting his eye in on the all-weather recently but will have been thrilled to pick up the first Listed race of the season on the Group One-placed Charyn.

Last year’s winner Astral Beau made another bold bid for Pam Sly but she had no answer close home to the 2-1 winner, who streaked three and a half lengths clear under hands and heels riding.

“He’s a lovely horse, he just felt a little bit lazy out there,” said De Sousa.

“He’s ended up picking up really well. There wasn’t much of a pace, so I just rode the race to suit him.”

With David Egan taking up his role with Amo Racing this season, Varian will be employing a new team of jockeys, with De Sousa in line to pick up plenty, along with James Doyle.

“That was a nice start to the season. Last year, he put up some really good efforts in the Irish Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes against some top opposition,” said Varian.

“He was a Group Two-winning two-year-old, he’s always been a nice horse and had some big questions asked of him last year, hopefully this can be his year.

“He looks to have done well through the winter, he’s a stronger horse this year and we were always keen to come here just to try and get a win on the board and build him back up again.

“I was worried about the ground, as while he has run some good races on testing ground, he’s at his best on a sounder surface. I think he’ll go on any ground.

“I’d like to go to Sandown for the Group Two (Bet365 Mile) and then the Lockinge.”

On the jockey situation, Varian added: “We’re in a good position. Some of our owners have their own jockeys, James Doyle is going to ride quite a few for us when available.

“Silvestre has been in riding work, I’ve got Jack Mitchell to call upon, Cam Noble, Raul de Silva, Aiden Keeley, so I’ve got a good team and they are all in every morning putting in the work, so hopefully they’ll all get opportunities.

“Silvestre is a good jockey, we like him a lot, we’ve known him a long time.”

There will be no Paddington standing in Charyn’s way when he returns to action in the William Hill Doncaster Mile on Saturday.

Roger Varian’s four-year-old proved the most consistent of performers during his Classic season but had the misfortune of bumping into Aidan O’Brien’s now retired leading miler on three occasions at Group One level last term.

The son of Dark Angel is the top-rated for his seasonal reappearance in slower ground than his handler would prefer, but nevertheless the Carlburg Stables handler is excited to see how the colt performs now with plenty of big-race experience under his belt.

“He had a good year last year and it was a shame he drew a blank in terms of wins, but he put up some fine performances,” said Varian.

“The Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes spring to mind as pretty solid performances against top company.

“We’re looking forward to him this year and he’s training nicely. He looks like he’s matured a bit more and we’re going to get his season started on Saturday.

“He’s top-rated and closely matched to Knight on a couple of his runs last year, but it will be tough ground on Saturday, it’s going to be heavy and not ideal ground. I think he’s better on better ground, but he’s ready to get started and it has been the plan to come here, so we can’t do anything about the ground on this occasion.”

Charyn was last seen finishing third in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood, a race where chief market rival Knight was a place ahead in second.

Simon and Ed Crisford’s four-year-old would go on to be beaten a head at Sandown in the Fortune Stakes before finishing well held on his final outing of the year, but the gelding now returns with a first-time visor fitted and with hopes of rediscovering his best form.

Karl Burke’s Holloway Boy has been off the track since finishing a length and a half fourth in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and was an honourable third behind Auguste Rodin in his only previous visit to Town Moor as a two-year-old.

Burke said: “He’s ready for a run, he’s got very lazy since he’s been gelded and there’s very few races for him until we get into May and June, so I’d say he’ll need a run to be honest.

“He’s well in himself, but his work is very lazy at home.”

Meanwhile, Pam Sly is hoping to put weather woes behind her as Astral Beau defends the title she claimed in good style last season.

The wet winter has restricted use of the gallops at Sly’s Cambridgeshire base, but the handler feels she has managed to get just enough work into her five-year-old to seek another spot on the podium.

“It should be wet, which will be ideal for her,” said Sly.

“We’re just having a job getting them fit because we’ve been waterlogged for so long. I think we’re nearly there and hopefully she will run all right and if she gets in the first three I will be pleased.

“We’ve had a few offers for her, but we thought we would keep her for another year for a bit of fun.

“There aren’t really any other races for her until May. Last year we went from Doncaster to the Dahlia Stakes and I think we may end up doing the same this season.

“You never know until you run them whether they have trained on or not do you really, but she seems good – there’s nothing wrong with her.”

Ralph Beckett’s Heron Stakes runner-up Grey’s Monument produced arguably a career best to scoop Listed honours at Kempton in December, while David O’Meara’s new recruit Padishakh and William Stone’s Dashing Roger complete the field of seven.

Connections of Eydon are retaining plenty of faith despite the five-year-old not reading the script on his return from a long layoff in the Winter Derby.

A one-time Derby hope when trained by Roger Varian, the son of Olden Times had been off the track for 665 days when making his stable debut for Andrew Balding in the Southwell Group Three last Saturday.

Sent off the 15-2 fourth favourite of six, he was always towards the rear of the field in the hands of Kevin Stott and trailed home seven and a half lengths adrift of the winner Military Order.

The post-race vets report stated that Eydon finished lame on his left hind, but he has since trotted up fine back home at Kingsclere, with his team now eyeing the turf season and Sandown’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes on May 23 mooted as a possible early objective.

“He was trotted up the next day and they said he was fine but scratchy behind, and then the day after he was at exercise,” explained Ted Voute, racing advisor to Eydon’s owner Prince Faisal.

“It said left hind in the vet report, so maybe he tied up, but I’ve talked to Andrew twice since and he said he’s been ridden and, as far as he is concerned, everything is fine. He may have tweaked something in the race after having so much time off.

“We’re not going to Dubai, but Andrew has talked about the Brigadier Gerard. I think the next week or two will tell us more, but so far there are more positives than the vet report.”

Eydon will bid to honour his sire Olden Times when he makes his eagerly-awaited return from 665 days off the track in the BetUK Winter Derby at Southwell.

An impressive winner of the Feilden Stakes when trained by Roger Varian in 2022, he was last seen finishing fourth to Coroebus in that year’s 2000 Guineas, with an injury sustained in the build-up to the 2022 Derby the start of a plethora of issues that have kept him sidelined for almost two years.

Now in training with Andrew Balding, he sat out the whole of the 2023 season, but is reported to be in rude health following a recent racecourse gallop at Kempton and will be partnered for the first time by Kevin Stott when lining up in the Group Three event, which for the first time will be run over 11 furlongs.

“He went for a racecourse gallop the other day with Andrew and it seemed to go satisfactory,” said Ted Voute, racing adviser to Eydon’s owner Prince Faisal.

“His last run was in the Guineas when he was fourth. It will be some training feat to get him back and to the level of fitness required to run creditably after such a length of time off. But, touch wood, Andrew is pleased with him and thinks he will run a nice race.

“It’s a pretty even field and they are all rated around the same figures apart from Lord North and we will see.”

Connections will not only be hoping Eydon’s Rolleston appearance can book a trip to the Middle East for Dubai World Cup night next month, but also that the five-year-old can pay an on-course tribute to his sire, who died earlier this month at the age of 25.

“He has an entry in Dubai (in the Sheema Classic), but that is rather far-fetched at the moment. He would have to beat Lord North or run very respectably against him, but we will see how we get on,” said Voute.

“We keep our fingers crossed and his owner has had incredible faith in him and patience which in this day and age is quite unusual.

“He loves the sire line and sadly Eydon’s father Olden Times passed away two weekends ago from old age. It would lovely if he could replace him somehow, but he’s got a lot to do before he does that.”

Auguste Rodin and his old rival King Of Steel could lock horns once again as both feature among the pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

Aidan O’Brien’s colt came on top when they clashed at Epsom in the summer, wearing down Roger Varian’s charge deep inside the final furlong and was then much the best when claiming the Irish Champion Stakes in September.

King Of Steel finished well to be fourth on that occasion, and would head to California with confidence sky high having carried Frankie Dettori to a fairytale success on British Champions Day.

Plenty of familiar names could feature in the Turf, with Royal Ascot and Juddmonte International champion Mostahdaf set to represent John and Thady Gosden and Donnacha O’Brien’s Piz Badile joining Ballydoyle’s Bolshoi Ballet and Broome.

The Amo Racing-owned King Of Steel also has the Classic as a second preference, a race won last year by the all-conquering Flightline and this year could see a match-up between Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo and Kentucky Derby hero Mage.

Paddington has been given the option of ending his stellar 2023 campaign in the Mile, where he could meet Saeed bin Suroor’s 1000 Guineas and recent Keeneland scorer Mawj.

She is one of two for Godolphin alongside Master Of The Seas who will bid to give Charlie Appleby his third straight success in the race.

High-class duo Inspiral and Warm Heart will lead the raiding contingent in the Filly & Mare Turf with both operating at the peak of their powers this season, while Simon and Ed Crisford’s Dubai World Cup runner-up Algiers is the sole British challenger in the Dirt Mile.

Brad Cox’s Caravel held off the British raiders in the Turf Sprint 12 months ago and has the likes of Adam West’s Nunthorpe hero Live In The Dream and King’s Stand Stakes winner Bradsell to take on this time.

Michael Appleby’s Big Evs will carry British hopes on the opening night of action when he looks to round off a brilliant juvenile campaign in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

King Of Steel provided Frankie Dettori with the perfect send-off as they combined for a fairytale success in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Roger Varian’s Derby runner-up was the Italian’s final mount on British soil before jetting off for his new venture in California and they proved a match made in heaven in the British Champions Day feature.

Dettori’s historic achievements at Ascot need no introduction, but it is also the scene of some of King Of Steel’s finest performances this term, including a victory in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Placed towards the rear of the field as a lit-up My Prospero took the field along, Dettori had to be at his very best as he steered the son of Wootton Bassett from last to first.

The duo still had plenty of ground to make up as the final furlong loomed, but the stamina reserves of the 3-1 favourite kicked into top gear when it mattered most, to ensure the Dettori swansong got its ultimate conclusion and the crowds burst into raptures chanting the Italian’s name.

King Of steel came home three-quarters of a length clear of George Boughey’s filly Via Sistina, with French raider Horizon Dore back in third.

Roger Varian only has one runner on British Champions Day – but it is a headline one and he is happy to feel a bit of pressure ahead of King Of Steel’s bid for glory in the Qipco Champion Stakes.

Runner-up to Auguste Rodin in the Derby at Epsom, the giant grey went on to win the King Edward VII Stakes over 12 furlongs at the Royal meeting, as well as run with great credit in the King George and the Irish Champion Stakes.

He now tries again to secure his first top-level success and given he is Frankie Dettori’s final mount on his last afternoon in European action, there is an extra expectation on his team. But Varian is happy to be part of one of the Flat calendar’s marquee events.

“It’s a day you want to be involved in,” he said.

“Unfortunately we have only got the one runner this year, but we have done well at the meeting in the past. We’ve won the Balmoral once or twice and the last two years we’ve picked up Group One races and we would love to come home with a big prize again this year.

“We’re looking forward to it and it’s exciting. You feel a bit of pressure on the day because you should do, it matters, it’s a big deal. He’s a good horse and we want him to win a big race.

“There will be a little bit of pressure on the day, but that comes with being represented by one of the fancied horses in one of the big races. It’s a position we want to be in and we’re looking forward to it.”

King Of Steel was beaten just a length when dropping to back to a mile and a quarter in the Irish Champion Stakes and Varian is taking heart from a return to Ascot.

“We’ve been very happy with him since Leopardstown,” he said.

“We’ve consciously spread his races out, but he’s had hard races because he’s been racing at the top level and he’s not run a bad race all year.

“Saturday won’t be any easier, it’s a tough field assembled, but he very much deserves to be in the race and we think the stiff 10 furlongs will help him

“I think we can gain some confidence and positivity, but in fairness he’s gone left-handed, he’s gone right-handed, he’s gone up and down Epsom and he’s handled Leopardstown.

“Neither of them are easy tracks and he’s also gone well at Ascot, so I would say he’s an agile horse who is versatile in terms of what kind of track he runs on.

“Yes, it’s nice to know he has run well at Ascot previously, but I suppose any track would not concern me too much knowing the horse.”

John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf was ridden to victory by Dettori in the Juddmonte International at York in the absence of the suspended Jim Crowley.

Crowley is back this weekend and Mostahdaf’s connections were certainly pleased the race has been moved to the inner course given his dislike of testing ground.

“John Gosden and I will walk the course in the morning. We’re very keen to run, it’s not his favoured surface, we know that, but we’ve got to make sure it’s not too soft,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.

“I realise there are other people who disagree, but from our point of view switching the courses has to help and from the race’s point of view, as a spectacle, you want the best horses so to attract them you have to run it on the best ground possible. I don’t think the soft ground horses will be inconvenienced anyway.

“We’d be lying if we thought he’d do what he did in Saudi (won by seven lengths) and since then he’s won the two top 10-furlong races on the calendar.

“It was probably our fault he hadn’t been able to show how good he was. He did only lose once at three, but we tried stretching him out to a mile and a half (last year). Clearly 10 furlongs is his trip.”

Last year’s winner Bay Bridge has perhaps not had the season anticipated by connections but Sir Michael Stoute’s five-year-old ran with credit when sixth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Assistant trainer James Savage said: “We’ve been very pleased with how Bay Bridge came out of the Arc, which was a tough race on ground that dried out throughout the day. He’s been working well since and he’s in good order.

“He ran well at Longchamp and was only beaten about six lengths, having done a little bit too much in Richard’s (Kingscote) hands in the early and middle parts of the race. We are pretty sure he stayed the mile and a half, as he did at Kempton, but you’d have to say that going back to Ascot in conditions we’ve been waiting for all year, he’d have a great shout.”

Horizon Dore has made giant strides this season and is among the favourites after winning the Prix Dollar on Arc weekend, his fourth successive victory.

The gelding is trained by Patrice Cottier and partly-owned by Le Haras De La Gousserie, whose manager Pauline Chehboub told Sky Sports Racing: “He is doing well, he is in good form with some freshness. The trainer is very happy with him and we can’t wait to watch him on the track again.

“He is stronger than at the start of the season. He needed time this year so we chose to stay in France for the first part of the season, with success, and now it’s time to travel and see him at Group One level.

“Just after his win in the Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud in July, (when) he showed plenty of acceleration, we chose to target Champions Day for the end of the year and now we are excited to go.”

George Boughey’s Via Sistina is another in the mix having run with credit all season. Connections plumped for this race rather than the QEII and there would be nothing better than victory in the final British Champions Series race of the year.

“Although she was in both races this has been the plan for her for a long time,” said Boughey.

“I think 10 furlongs is her optimum, and we know that she’s ground-versatile as she won the Pretty Polly on arguably the fastest ground she has ever run on, having previously impressed on soft ground in the Dahlia.

“She looks amazing for this time of year and her best performances come after a break, which she’s had since Deauville two months ago. Oisin (Murphy) already knows her well, having ridden her work when she was with Joe (Tuite). She’s a very high level performer and Oisin is a very good replacement for Jamie (Spencer), who has other commitments.”

One-time Derby fancy Eydon is creeping towards an eagerly-awaited return to the racecourse later this month, with connections dreaming of teeing-up a shot at Ascot’s Qipco Champion Stakes later in the autumn.

The lightly-raced colt’s progress has been curtailed by injury and having advertised his talent with a taking success at Newmarket in the Feilden Stakes, he returned to the Rowley Mile to finish an honourable fourth behind Coroebus when getting a first taste of Classic action in the 2000 Guineas.

He was on course for a second bite of the Classic cherry in the Derby when a setback ruled him out of the race, and his 2000 Guineas appearance remains Eydon’s last sighting on a racecourse.

Switched to Andrew Balding from Roger Varian over the winter, it was anticipated he would return to the track in the early stages of the 2023 season, but a further issue in the spring ruled him out of the key summer months.

An outing at Listed level in either the Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes at Sandown (September 20) or Ayr’s Virgin Bet Doonside Cup Stakes (September 23) is on the radar, before a possible big-race tilt on British Champions Day (October 21), providing Eydon shows he retains all of his old ability.

“Oisin Murphy was on him at Andrew’s and seemed happy and we’re going to either the Doonside Cup or the Fortune Stakes,” said Ted Voute, owner Prince Faisal’s racing adviser.

“He’s probably going to be a bit ring-rusty, but the aim is to see if we can get him to the Champion Stakes.

“It’s a big ask and he’s had lots of little niggly things along the way, but from what Andrew has seen, he has seen sparks of good things on the gallops and touch wood he’s still in one piece and that will be the plan.

“We’ll see how we go and we thought it was a good idea to have a target, because if he came out and was as good as he was in the Feilden Stakes then we would have a bash. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.”

Eldar Eldarov will be given a sighter of the Curragh on Sunday when he makes a raiding mission to Ireland for the Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes.

Roger Varian’s St Leger hero could set up a shot at the Irish equivalent on September 10 with a strong showing in the Group Three contest as he seeks his first victory since scooping Classic honours at Doncaster last term.

Having begun the current campaign with a pleasing performance in the Yorkshire Cup, the son of Dubawi was below-par when well held and only seventh in the Ascot Gold Cup.

However, he bounced back with a respectable effort to finish fourth behind runaway winner Quickthorn in the Goodwood Cup and connections feel this is the ideal spot to search for a confidence-boosting triumph.

“That was a funny race, as we know, and Tom Marquand stole it from the front,” said Chris Wall, racing manager for owners KHK Racing Ltd, reflecting on Eldar Eldarov’s showing on the Sussex Downs.

“He acquitted himself well and David Egan was the first to go after and chase Tom Marquand in the straight and, in actual fact, Eldar could have done with being waited with that little bit longer.

“This is an obvious place to go and looks a good opportunity to get back in the winning groove.”

Joseph O’Brien has won this the past two seasons and is well represented in his hat-trick bid, with Royal Ascot scorers Dawn Rising and Okita Soushi, as well as the useful Point King, representing the Owning Hill handler.

Aidan O’Brien’s Library steps up in trip following her third in behind Savethelastdance in the Irish Oaks, while the six-strong line-up is completed by Dermot Weld’s hat-trick seeking Shamida, who registered her first Group-level success when taking the Stanerra Stakes in July.

Also on the card, Unless will attempt to give Ballydoyle back-to-back victories in the Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes as she steps up in grade following her recent course-and-distances victory in the Listed Michael John Kennedy Memorial Irish EBF Stakes.

The Group Three contest was won by Luxembourg last term and although there may not be that sort of quality in this year’s renewal, there is a handy cast of seven heading to post which includes Noel Meade’s pair of Layfayette and Helvic Dream, as well as Gladness Stakes winner Goldana.

Roger Varian insists King Of Steel, one of the favourites for Saturday’s King George And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot, will not be inconvenienced should the ground turn soft.

With the forecast for further rain and heavy showers over the early part of next week, Varian is keeping a close eye on ground conditions for the King Edward VII Stakes winner and Derby runner-up.

“He’s in good form,” said Varian. “He’s done all we have asked of him and we are looking forward to it.

“He handled soft ground last season and while he hasn’t really been tested on it since he has been with us, there is no reason to think he won’t handle it.”

The three-year-old son of Wootton Bassett has really come into his own this term and was a fine second behind Auguste Rodin at Epsom, before franking that form when powering to a three-and-a-half-length success in Group Two company at Royal Ascot.

“The forecast is a bit unsettled, but I don’t think rain will be an inconvenience to him – he’s a big individual and he should get through it. Ascot always produce nice ground and we don’t have any worries, really,” he added.

Hukum was the main market mover for the 12-furlong highlight over the weekend, with Coral now offering 9-2 about the Owen Burrows-trained horse, following support for the six-year-old whose best form is on softer ground.

Dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin is the firm’s 5-2 favourite, ahead of King Of Steel at 3-1 and Emily Upjohn at 7-2.

Roger Varian feels Eldar Eldarov has not yet reached the ceiling of his ability ahead of his bid for Gold Cup glory at Royal Ascot on Thursday.

The four-year-old is a previous winner at the showpiece meeting, having last season claimed the narrowest of victories in the Queen’s Vase.

He went on to secure Classic honours in the St Leger at Doncaster and lost little in defeat when a strong-finishing second to Giavellotto on his reappearance in last month’s Yorkshire Cup.

Varian has been delighted with his star stayer since and while he has trained several Group One winners in recent years, the Newmarket handler admits having a genuine contender for the two-and-a-half-mile feature is a bit special.

“He’s in great form and has done everything right and everything asked of him since his good run at York,” said Varian.

“It’s exciting to get him back out and back to Ascot, he obviously won at the Royal meeting last year and it is very exciting to have such a strong contender for the Gold Cup.

“It promotes that sort of horse, which is great – we all like to have fast horses and milers but to have stayers is great also and I think the staying programme has had a bit of a resurgence over the last few years and I hope it will continue to be the case.

“The Gold Cup is one of those iconic races, it’s got masses of history and there is always something nice about having a good staying horse. A horse like Eldar Eldarov might be in the camp for two or three years to come yet and as we have seen with some of those good staying horses, they can capture the public imagination as well.

“He’s got a long way to go before he’s held in any similar regard to any of those top staying horses, but he has won a Queen’s Vase, he’s won a St Leger and his profile is on the rise, I think.

“His best days could very much be ahead of him, so we are very much looking forward to running him in the Gold Cup.”

Eldar Eldarov disputes favouritism with Andrew Balding’s Coltrane, who plundered the Ascot Stakes 12 months ago and doubled his course tally with an impressive display in last month’s Sagaro Stakes.

Three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy will partner Coltrane and is relishing the opportunity.

“He’s trained well and won the Sagaro in good style,” he said.

“It looks a hot race, as you’d expect. Eldar Eldarov is the St Leger winner and carries 1lb less, you also have to respect whatever Aidan O’Brien has in the race (Emily Dickinson and Broome) and Courage Mon Ami is an improver as well.

“It’s a wonderful chance and I’m looking forward to riding Coltrane. I watched Yeats dominate the race, and Stradivarius, so it’s great to be riding a horse who is probably going to go off favourite.”

Subjectivist was sensational in winning the Gold Cup in 2021, but an injury which initially threatened to end his racing career has restricted him to just two subsequent starts.

Charlie Johnston’s six-year-old was well beaten on his return from almost two years off in Saudi Arabia, but his third to Broome in the Dubai Gold Cup was a step in the right direction.

Courage Mon Ami is unbeaten in three starts for John and Thady Gosden, but faces a big rise in class as he bids to provide Frankie Dettori with a dream Gold Cup success in his final year before retirement.

Willie Mullins is represented by Grade One-winning hurdler Echoes In Rain, as he looks to become the first trainer to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in the same year.

The daughter of Authorized was last seen winning the Mares Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival and carries the colours of Barnane Stud, which is owned by the family of former England international cricketer Craig Kieswetter.

“Her win at Punchestown was really impressive. When she travels well she has an electric turn of foot and she just powers home,” said Kieswetter.

“Hopefully things work out accordingly throughout the race and she settles down nicely and then she can give everyone a crack coming down the straight there.

“Most importantly we’re just looking forward to another big day at the Royal meeting and it would be amazing if the green and red silks can come home first.”

Roger Varian has warned The Platinum Queen will likely improve for the run on her eagerly-anticipated reappearance and stable debut in the Betfred Temple Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.

The Cotai Glory filly’s quality is not in question, following a fantastic juvenile campaign last season for trainer Richard Fahey and owners Middleham Park Racing.

During a busy first year The Platinum Queen won four of eight starts, including a Group One victory against her elders in the Prix de l’Abbaye, while she also finished second in the Nunthorpe at York.

Having since changed hands for 1.2million guineas, the three-year-old will carry the colours of Katsumi Yoshida on her first start for Varian, who while happy with the filly, is expecting the run to “put her right” for a likely appearance at Royal Ascot next month.

“She’s ready to start and looks a picture, (but) she will likely need a run,” he said.

“She’s obviously new to us, but Richard Fahey has been very helpful I have to say.

“She’s quite a highly-strung filly, so we’ve had to feel our way with her through the spring and a lot of the horses are just coming forward from their first outing.

“I think she’ll run a nice race, the track and the speed test should suit her and I think the run will put her right.”

Varian has a second string to his bow in the five-furlong Group Two in the form of Mitbaahy.

The son of Profitable won at Listed and Group Three level last term before finishing down the field behind The Platinum Queen on Arc weekend in Paris.

Varian added: “He’s a really nice horse and he should improve again as a four-year-old. I think he could be a really exciting sprinter for the season.

“Again, he’s likely to come on for the run and he’d probably prefer a bit more give in the ground, but we’re trapping on, it’s nearly June and these horses have got to get their season started.

“He’s a nice horse we like for the months ahead, it’s a good starting point and the run will probably straighten him up.”

Another key runner making her seasonal debut is the Karl Burke-trained Dramatised.

The three-year-old was brilliant in winning the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and was last seen being beaten just a length into second place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, a race in which The Platinum Queen failed to fire.

Burke said: “She looks in great shape and she’s ready to run. Obviously it’s a prep run for Royal Ascot, but I expect her to run a nice race.

“I’ve been very happy with her at home. It’s her first time taking on older horses and it won’t be an easy race, but hopefully she can acquit herself well.”

One horse for whom there are no fitness fears is Live In The Dream, who proved he is capable of mixing it at Pattern level when narrowly beaten by Vadream in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket last month.

Trainer Adam West said: “I’m very pleased with him, he had a nice, easy time after Newmarket, he bounced back last week and is now back to the same sort of level he was going to the Palace House.

“Newmarket wouldn’t have suited him as well with that dip and the stiff finish, but we’re now we’re on an even keel, fast track and hopefully we’re going to be there or thereabouts.

“We weren’t originally going to go to the Palace House, but his confidence was so high after his two wins at Lingfield and Pontefract we thought we’d give it a crack and this has been the plan since.”