Richard Hannon's star milers Canford Cliffs and Dick Turpin go head-to-head in what promises to be a fascinating renewal of the JLT Lockinge Stakes at Newbury tomorrow.
It is rare for stable companions of such high quality to clash at Group One level at this stage of their careers, but connections are undaunted by the prospect.
They actually met three times on the track last season with Dick Turpin coming out on top on the first two occasions, when winning the Greenham Stakes and finishing second in the 2000 Guineas.
After taking the Irish equivalent, Canford Cliffs pulled one back over his stablemate with victory in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and ended the campaign in triumph over his elders in the Sussex Stakes.
Dick Turpin was finally rewarded with a Group One success in the Prix Jean Prat and made a winning start to 2011 in the bet365 Mile at Sandown.
The two horses are based in different centres and the Hannon stable is divided on who will lift the spoils and emulate the team's winner last year, Paco Boy.
"Canford Cliffs is based down here at Herridge, where (head lad) Tony Gorman and his team won't hear of defeat, whereas Dick Turpin is up with Steve Knight at Everleigh, and they are quietly confident, and I won't mind which one wins," said Hannon.
"It is a Group One and we are taking nothing for granted as there are other good horses in this race, but I could not be happier with my two.
"Canford Cliffs has grown and filled out in all the right places since last year. He is stronger and mentally more mature.
"This time last year we were struggling to get him to relax, but everything slotted into place at Royal Ascot and he now has a lovely nature about him.
"He is as good a horse as we have had here in 40 years, and to think that he was the last yearling I sold. Nobody wanted him and I eventually managed to sell him to Robin Heffer for 50,000 guineas.
"We have taken Canford Cliffs away for a couple of racecourse gallops and he has done plenty of work, but there is no substitute for a race, and the fact is Dick Turpin has had his prep-race and he won it well at Sandown.
"Dick Turpin looks magnificent, as does Canford Cliffs, and we cannot wait for the rematch.
"The pair have met three times and Dick Turpin has come out on top twice, so I can understand why (owner) John Manley wants to go to Newbury.
"We are lucky to have two very special horses, and the ideal scenario would be a dead-heat!" the trainer told www.richardhannon.racing.tv.
Henry Cecil's classy performer Twice Over takes on the two Hannon big guns as he drops back to a mile after 14 consecutive races over a mile and a quarter during which time he has enjoyed three wins at the top level.
His last run over the shorter trip was no mean feat, however, as he was a close third to Virtual in this race in 2009 when the Hannon-trained hot favourite Paco Boy was only fourth.
But the six-year-old has to bounce back after disappointing for the second year running in the Dubai World Cup.
"He's in good shape and I wish we had 20 more like him - he's the most fantastic, reliable horse in every way," said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Prince Khalid Abdullah.
"He looks great and came out of Dubai well. We wanted to see how he was going but he's ticked all the boxes and looks in good shape.
"He was third in it two years ago and I don't see why he wouldn't be competitive again."
