The cream of this season's Classic crop and the best of the older generation are on course to clash in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot.
Vodafone Derby winner Sinndar and Holding Court, winner of the French equivalent the Prix du Jockey Club, may bid to uphold the honour of the 2000 three-year-old colts in the £750,000 Group One showpiece on July 29th.
These two Classic winners, who are set to clash in the Budweiser Irish Derby on July 2nd, are among 40 entries for the summer middle-distance championship over a mile and a half.
But they will face strong opposition from the pick of the older generation that may include last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Montjeu.
Godolphin, who have won the last three runnings of the race, are responsible for a quarter of the entry. Their 10 includes Dubai World Cup winner Dubai Millennium and top-class stayer Kayf Tara.
Giant's Causeway, successful in Tuesday's St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, is among eight entries from Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle stable.
The 50th running of the King George will be the richest race ever run in Britain in terms of added prize money.
While the Vodafone Derby's total prize pool of £1,050,000 is much more than the King George's pool of £750,000, almost half of the Derby's money is contributed by the owners themselves through entry and forfeit fees.
With the addition of the £150,000 Tote International Handicap to the card this year, total prize money for the De Beers Diamond Day will for the first time reach £1m.
It is only the second race day in Britain to reach this milestone, Vodafone Derby day being the first.
Ascot's clerk of the course Nick Cheyne said: "This is a cracking entry, especially with the promise of Montjeu's first run in this country against the likes of Dubai Millennium and a host of top three-year-olds, including a potential Japanese superstar in Air Shakur."
The executive is delighted at 13 overseas entries but is hoping to attract American runners in the future.
There is an attractive incentive as the race is part of the Emirates World Series and as such all travelling expenses will be paid by the sponsors.
Michael Dickinson, the former leading jumps trainer now a Flat trainer in the United States, entered Cetewayo 12 months ago but the horse was unable to take part.
"Most horsemen in America appreciate the importance of the King George and Ascot is a fair track," he said. "It's certainly a big help that Emirates will pay travelling expenses which could amount to 100,000.
"It's one of my major ambitions to win the King George and I have built a special right-hand uphill gallop to give my horses practice.
"It takes four or five workouts before they get used to going right-handed and four or five weeks for them to get used to going uphill.
Ascot racecourse director Douglas Erskine-Crum said: "It's not easy to get the best American horses to come over.
"Over the next few years we are going to make attempts to bring over American and inter-continental horses but we acknowledge it's going to be a slow process."
Safer Gambling UK has launched its annual awareness week to promote responsible gambling.
