DERBY hero Anthony Van Dyck and top two-miler Stradivarius are on course for a mouthwatering clash at Newmarket on Friday.
The pair were among 11 entries for the Group 1 Coronation Cup (3.35), with Godolphin’s Ghaiyyath and defending champ Defoe also entered up.
The 1m4f contest has been saved from the postponed Derby meeting and has seen a dramatic plunge in prize money from £440,000 to £100,000.
But that has not affected the quality of the potential field, with Aidan O’Brien’s Anthony Van Dyck likely to be joined by stablemates Sir Dragonet and Broome.
Stradivarius is using the Coronation Cup as a prep for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in mid-June, and Martyn Meade plans to do the same with the smart Technician.
Communique, Alounak, Desert Encounter and Floating Artist are also in contention for the first Group 1 of the season.
The card, which will be broadcast on ITV4, also features the Group 3 Abernant Stakes (2.25).
Group 1 winning eight-year-old Brando has won the race twice in the last three seasons and heads the entries once again.
Last year’s winner Keystroke has also been entered, as has Judicial and Richard Fahey’s Group 2 winner Mr Lupton.
And Sangarius could make his first apperance since winning at Royal Ascot last year in the Listed Paradise Stakes (3.00).
At Lingfield, John Gosden’s Miss Yoda heads up 14 entries for the Listed Oaks Trial (2.40), with Frankie Dettori already booked to ride.
Ralph Beckett has entered Group 3 winner Max Vega in the Derby Trial (3.15), while highly-regarded pair English King and Al Aasy could also test their Classic crendentials.
Racing chiefs are hopeful that the sport will be able to resume at Newcastle on Monday afternoon.
However, official government approval has yet to be received, with an update expected at the daily coronavirus briefing on Saturday.
