Jacobean (far) chasing home Royal Navy Ship© Photo Healy Racing
Aidan O'Brien seeks to improve an already tremendous record in the Racing Post Trophy when he saddles Jacobean and Aloft in the Group One contest at Doncaster.
The Ballydoyle handler has won the race with some of his biggest stars, with High Chaparral (2001), Brian Boru (2002), St Nicholas Abbey (2009) and Camelot (2011) among those to have struck gold on Town Moor.
Jacobean showed immense promise to take second behind stablemate Royal Navy Ship in a Curragh maiden on his debut, making huge strides in the closing stages after racing towards the rear. He is the mount of Colm O'Donoghue.
The Galileo colt Aloft has already won in the UK, scoring in a maiden at Newmarket last time, and he will be partnered by William Buick.
The jockey has enjoyed a season where his services have been increasingly in demand for high-profile outside rides, and Aloft is another example.
The rider wrote in his At The Races blog: "I was delighted to get the call to ride Aloft for Aidan O'Brien in the Racing Post Trophy and although on the betting he would appear to be the stable second string to Jacobean, there's no knowing how much a Coolmore runner improves from one run to the next.
"I was in the mile maiden that he won at Newmarket earlier this month and he did take some time to get there, but he was going away in the closing stages.
"This looks a relatively weak running of the race and wide open, so I genuinely believe that anything that's in has a chance, with no stand-out form horse.
"I have respect for Elm Park, and Celestial Path might be anything, but an improver like Aloft could well provide the best value."
Andrew Balding is in bullish mood as Elm Park bids to provide him with a first domestic Group One victory in over a decade in the Town Moor event.
The master of Kingsclere struck at the highest level during his first season with a licence as Casual Look claimed Oaks glory at Epsom in 2003, but another Group One triumph on home soil has proved elusive.
Elm Park, a son of Balding's Canadian International, Hong Kong Vase and Dubai Sheema Classic hero Phoenix Reach, is set to start as the hot favourite to bring his handler's long wait to an end, having completed a hat-trick in the Royal Lodge at Newmarket late last month.
Balding, who is in Australia overseeing the final preparations for Side Glance's Cox Plate bid, is confident Elm Park will cope with whatever is thrown at him.
Speaking from Melbourne, the trainer said: "I haven't seen him myself for the last 48 hours, but when I left he was in fantastic shape and I'm told he's still in fantastic shape. We're looking forward to the race. He's done absolutely nothing wrong so far this year.
"The ground is going to be soft, but I'd like to think he could cope with most things. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't run a huge race."
Andrea Atzeni, who landed last year's Racing Post Trophy aboard Kingston Hill, will be in the saddle for part-owners Qatar Racing.
