Scandinavia, winner of last year’s St Leger at Doncaster, is seeking to give Aidan O’Brien a 10th Gold Cup win at Ascot on Thursday. Two runs this year have been workmanlike rather than spectacular, but they have taken his winning run to five.

Jockey Ryan Moore told World Pool: “Scandinavia is obviously going to run two and a half miles for the first time, but he has won the Goodwood Cup over two miles already, so hopefully the extra half-mile will be within his compass.

“It’s a strong race. Trawlerman won the race last year and is a high-class horse and will be tough to beat at his best, and Rahiebb was just behind Scandinavia in the Leger and is also a good horse.

“My horse is a four-year-old going two and a half miles for the first time, but he’d be one of the leading chances for sure.”

Scandinavia is the 2/1 favourite for the race, which is due off at 4.15pm.

Just a neck adrift of Scandinavia in the St Leger was Rahiebb, who reappeared this season with a taking win in the Yorkshire Cup.

The Roger Varian-trained four-year-old will be ridden by Ray Dawson, who said: “I don’t have a whole lot to do with him at home but I’ve been told he’s in great nick and looks great.

“Trawlerman makes it interesting and it’s an exciting race to be a part of. I would say Trawlerman will probably be a fresher horse and in an ideal world I would hope to be tracking Scandinavia and going better than him turning in. That would be the perfect plan.

“I wouldn’t swap him and I think he will improve again from the Yorkshire Cup run. I think he will stay, but it’s impossible to know until he does it.”

Those gathered around the Ascot paddock or watching on television may wonder quite what they are seeing when Trawlerman emerges for the defence of his Gold Cup crown sporting a pair of ski goggles.

Do not adjust your sets at home. John Gosden said last week the Godolphin-owned gelding “has a weird problem with his eyes in that he becomes very sensitive to light” and that he had been doing all his work in ski goggles in a bid to help.

While blazing sunshine would not be in his favour, he will be allowed to wear his unique headgear in the paddock before the race and also down to the two-and-a-half-mile start, where they will be removed.

“He’ll wear them before and down to the start,” said John Gosden, who trains Trawlerman in partnership with his son Thady.

“It’s to keep the light off his eyes and if it’s a sunny day he needs them, but once he gets in the gate and races he won’t be thinking about that too much.

“It’s really helped him a lot at home, especially with the sunny mornings and going out in his exercise. They are long days right now and it has definitely helped.

“His box is darkened with plenty of ventilation but he’s been in a good place mentally for the last month, which he wasn’t two months ago.”

After making all under William Buick 12 months ago, Trawlerman has not been seen since beating stablemate Sweet William (who again reopposes) on Champions Day in October.

Gosden added: “He will have to be very good to win this first time out and it’s a smart field. But he did break the track record in the race last year, so who knows, we’ll find out.”

Caballo De Mar was second in the Dubai Gold Cup first time out this season and occupied the same spot behind Sweet William in the Sagaro Stakes here before taking his Group 1 tally to two for George Scott in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp.

“He’s had a perfect preparation and I would not change a thing with him. Winning in France has meant I’ve been able to just coast him into this race rather than having to be too hard on him,” said Scott.

“Two and a half miles seems to be his bag and he stays very well and it is his depth of stamina rather than any one piece of form that gives us confidence. Yes, he will have to run a career best and it might just be that one of the four-year-olds are just better, but they will have to really dig deep to get past him so let’s see.”

Carmers was another to feature in the Leger, finishing a slightly disappointing fifth but showing his true colours second time out this season upped to two miles for the first time at Down Royal. He has form at this meeting, too, taking the Queen’s Vase 12 months ago, when Scandinavia was only fifth.

His trainer Paddy Twomey said: “He is in good form and needed his first run back, but came forward plenty for Down Royal the last day and has definitely come forward again since then. Stepping up to two and a half miles will see him in an even better light.”