French trainer Andre Fabre is wary of all threats approaching Waldgeist in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
The five-year-old chestnut will make his third start at the Berkshire venue - just more than a month after finishing a creditable third to Crystal Ocean in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes.
A three-time Group One winner in France, the Galileo colt also holds form with the current favourite for the race Enable - who Waldgeist finished fourth to in last season's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Owned by Gestut Ammerland, Waldgeist will hope to become the first French-trained winner of the summer showpiece since the Andre Fabre took it with Hurricane Run back in 2006.
However, Fabre is not getting carried away with the tough-looking task at hand, as his charge does have sufficient ground to make up on the principles.
Yet to prevail outside his home country in France, his trainer believes the further trip and the better ground conditions should give him a better chance of closing the gap, if not success.
(Credit: AtTheRaces) He said: “Waldgeist is running on Saturday and I’m sure he is going to run a good race, as he usually does.
“Obviously we are up against some very good competition – there are some top-class horses in the race.
“I think going back to a mile and a half and the faster ground will help him. Will it be enough to win? Probably not, but I’m sure he is going to run a good race.”
Waldgeist is a best-priced at 20/1 for the Ascot Group One, with John Gosden's star filly Enable now as short as 4/6 to follow up her success in this race two years ago.
Crystal Ocean is currently the second favourite, and continues to receive market support - now 11/4.
Fabre meanwhile was sadly hit with some more negative news on Tuesday afternoon, regarding his French Guineas winner Persian King.
The three-year-old son of Kingman lost his unbeaten record excluding his debut when finishing second in the Prix du Jockey Club to Sottsass at Chantilly last time out.
The 73-year-old has confirmed the former Autumn Stakes winner emerged from his last race rather sore, and is likely to miss the rest of the season.
Hopefully we see him back better than ever as a four-year-old next year.