Magician© Photo Healy Racing
Magician tackles a mile and a half for only the third time in his career in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Aidan O'Brien's four-year-old was only sixth in the Sheema Classic but showed he has stamina to match his undoubted class when producing a career-best effort to lift the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November.
His most recent effort saw him chase home The Fugue in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at the Royal meeting.
"He's in good form and the ground should be lovely. I'm looking forward to seeing him run," said O'Brien.
Sir Michael Stoute attempts to win a record sixth King George when he saddles Telescope.
Victories for Shergar (1981), Opera House (1993), Golan (2002), Conduit (2009) and Harbinger (2010) currently rank the Freemason Lodge handler alongside Dick Hern and Saeed bin Suroor on five wins in the midsummer highlight.
Some of Telescope's ardent supporters would have expected the talented colt to have had his Group One opportunity sooner in his career, preferably in last year's Epsom Derby, but Stoute is renowned for his patient approach.
When the Classic in 2013 was ruled out after Telescope suffered a setback, Stoute has been firmly focused on doing his utmost to ensure the horse reaches his full potential. The son of Galileo took a giant stride to repaying his connections' faith when running away with the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal meeting.
Sights have been firmly set on the King George since then and Harry Herbert, racing manager to owners Highclere, cannot wait to see Telescope strut his stuff in the mile-and-a-half contest.
"Given the size and pedigree of him, there was every chance he would be reaching his peak about now. It is what Sir Michael excels at and Telescope ticks a lot of those boxes," he said.
"Last year it got everyone rattled and annoyed. He became a talking horse.
"He couldn't line up for the Derby and I realise how frustrating it was for everyone, especially ante-post punters, but he had a legitimate excuse with an infection in his pastern which stopped him running in the Dante and then he did a lacklustre bit of work at Lingfield.
"The Hardwicke was the first time since the Voltigeur that we've seen him on decent ground and could use that stride that we know he's got.
"He's got a phenomenal action. The ground was bad at Sandown and Chester and that just stops the flow of the horse. Take nothing away from Noble Mission, he's proved beyond a shadow of doubt that he's a proper Group One horse and a tough nut to crack, especially in soft ground over a mile and a quarter."
