Jessica Harrington’s three Galway starters on Tuesday must concede the spotlight to their stable companion Torcedor’s bid for Group One glory in the Qatar Goodwood Cup.
Torcedor is joined on the Sussex Downs by Aidan O’Brien’s Idaho in the opening day Goodwood festival highlight.
Both Irish hopes will have to get the better of the odds-on Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius.
Victory for John Gosden’s runner will leave him needing one final success in York’s upcoming Lonsdale Cup to secure a £1 million bonus for dominating the season’s staying division.
With his regular partner Frankie Dettori sidelined by suspension, Andrea Atzeni will get back on board Stradivarius for the first time since steering him to success in last year's renewal.
Atzeni is two from two on the four-year-old, with the partnership also landing last season’s Queen’s Vase at Ascot, and the Italian is excited to renew the association in the latest leg of the Qipco British Champions Series.
Torcedor has less than a length to make up on Stradivarius from Ascot and his jockey Colm O’Donoghue is eagerly awaiting the chance to try again.
He said: “Our horse seems in great form. He came out of Ascot well and his last piece of work before going over was very good.
“I think the track will suit, he and Stradivarius are racing off level weights and there was only a length between them at Royal Ascot.
“I think it will be a good fight between the two of them again.”
As well as Idaho, O'Brien is also represented at Goodwood by Van Beethoven (Vintage Stakes) and Spirit Of Valor in the Lennox Stakes.
On Wednesday the champion trainer will aim for a sixth Sussex Stakes victory when Gustav Klimt is the sole Irish challenger for the mile championship.
Gosden’s Without Parole puts his unbeaten record on the line in the race. The Frankel colt claimed his fourth victory from as many starts in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last month and is a hot favourite to extend his winning sequence when he meets his elders for the first time on Wednesday.
That pair are two of four three-year-olds in the final field along with Michael Stoute’s supplemented Jersey Stakes winner Expert Eye and Andre Fabre’s French raider Orbaan.
