SO which horse are you most excited to see this weekend?
Shaquille? Tahiyra? Homeless Songs? Auguste Rodin? King Of Steel? Bay Bridge? Highfield Princess? Ylang Ylang? City Of Troy? Kyprios?
There's no doubt whatever way you turn it's a weekend of hardcore top class horse racing action.
On a personal note it's Kyprios that is top of my list.
I'm not sure what to expect from Aidan O'Brien's stayer because he's now been off the track 344 days. However, I'm delighted he tries to defend his crown in Sunday's Group 1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger.
All sensible people know a Classic can't be for older horses, but Kyprios would be a worthy winner once again after his brilliant displays in last year's Ascot Gold and Goodwood Cups.
I don't think Kyprios would be disgraced in an Arc, as was the case back in the day with the terrific stayer Ardross, but for the time being I'm just hope he shows the old ability is there for Moyglare Stud.
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The Galileo five-year-old picked up an infection in a joint during the spring which prevented him from defending his Gold Cup crown in June, but he has been nursed back to full fitness by O'Brien and is bidding for a fifth Group 1.
O'Brien said: "It looks like Kyprios is going to make it and it is going to be very interesting to get him back on the track and see what he can do.
"We'd be hoping he could run a good race, come out of it OK and then have a look at something on Arc weekend, something like that, because you couldn't expect him to perform at his best after such a traumatic year."
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Fingers crossed.
At the other end of the scale City Of Troy has looked an absolute machine so far and tries to maintain his unbeaten record in the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes.
Like Kyprios, he is trained by O'Brien and powered to success on debut at the Curragh before he smashed up the useful Haatem by nearly seven lengths in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.
By Justify out of a Galileo mare, he looks a future Classic hero.
O'Brien's Derby hero Auguste Rodin meets King Of Steel for a third time in this afternoon's Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, shown live on ITV.
Ryan Moore's mount was too good for King Of Steel at Epsom, but was miles behind his old rival in the King George at Ascot when the Roger Varian inmate was a fine third behind Hukum and Westover. Auguste Rodin was defeated 127 lengths.
No reason seems to have come to light and the performance is baffling, although many will point out he also ran a stinker in the 2000 Guineas.
Both could easily show more dropped to a mile and a quarter, but I won't be giving up on Auguste Rodin's stable companion and defending champion Luxembourg.
He was fourth in the King George and is very good at this trip, as he proved earlier in the campaign when landing the Tattersalls Gold Cup from Bay Bridge who, by the way, is at Kempton in the September Stakes.
He might get away from some of these on the front end and is worth a few quid each-way.
Domestically it's all about the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock, and most eyes will be on find of the season Shaquille for Julie Camacho and James Doyle, who bids for another top level success after Warm Heart landed the Yorkshire Oaks.
Shaquille has captured many hearts after flopping at the start in both the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and July Cup at Newmarket but still managing to come through and win well, particularly at Newmarket.
Shaquille has his quirks, but on all known form he will be too good. That said, I can't help but have a few quid each-way on Sacred for William Haggas and Tom Marquand.
I really fancied this horse behind Kinross at York last time, but she ran pretty flat and the general consensus is that she just doesn't like the Knavesmire.
Sacred is best at seven furlongs, but I suspect she will travel strongly in behind here and hopefully she will like Haydock as she's never run here before.
What a day ahead. Certainly no time for a 'Kyp'.
Matt Chapman's Saturday selections
Kempton
1.35 Bay Bridge
2.10 Brains each-way
Haydock
1.50 Light Infantry
2.25 Lordship each-way (NAP)
3.00 Forza Orta each-way
3.35 Sacred each-way
Ascot
2.35 Bless Him each-way
3.10 Overactive
Leopardstown
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2.45 Meditate each-way
3.20 Luxembourg each-way
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