Manning expecting 'big show' from Trading

Kevin Manning is confident Trading Leather can make his presence felt in the Qipco-sponsored King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Jim Bolger's 2013 Irish Derby hero was second in this 12 months ago and, now carrying the colours of Godophin, put a lacklustre Newmarket return behind him by chasing home Mukhadram in the Coral-Eclipse.

"You could make a case for basically every horse in the race. It's a very good race," Manning told At The Races.

"He's going there in good shape and I'm looking forward to riding him. I think he'll put up a big show.

Bolger also sends Leitir Mor, while Aidan O'Brien's Prince Of Wales's Stakes runner-up Magician adds further Irish interest.

Royal Ascot hero Telescope and Oaks winner Taghrooda also feature among a final field of nine runners.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Telescope produced the performance he has long promised with a brilliant display in the Hardwicke Stakes over the King George course and distance, earning himself a step up to Group One level.

Taghrooda kept her unbeaten record intact in Classic company at Epsom and owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum made the bold call to skip the Irish Oaks at the Curragh last weekend in favour of taking on the boys in Saturday's Ascot showpiece.

Taghrooda is one of three three-year-olds in the field, all of which are trained by John Gosden. The master of Clarehaven Stables is also set to saddle Eagle Top, supplemented at a cost of £75,000 after winning the King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal meeting, as well as Epsom Derby third Romsdal.

However, Gosden plans to walk the course on Friday before making a final decision on whether to let Eagle Top line up.

"Eagle Top is in very good form. Unfortunately our supplementary system is five days before the race. In France, it's a much better system, it's at 48 hours," the trainer told At The Races.

"At the five-day stage there was talk of thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday, but now it looks like the rain is much more likely on Sunday. With the owners, who know the family well and know the horse well, we'll make a decision. I'll be at Ascot tomorrow (Friday) and walk the track. Then we will be making our decision.

"He's a very nice horse, but I didn't really want to run him twice on too fast a ground. He did it well at Royal Ascot, but he's bred more for good, good to soft ground."

Mukhadram steps up to a mile and a half for the first time, with Dane O'Neill taking the ride as Sheikh Hamdan's retained rider Paul Hanagan has sided with Taghrooda. Andre Fabre's French challenger Flintshire completes the stellar line-up.