Eddie Lynam is hoping the ground will come right for Sole Power ahead of Saturday's Darley July Cup at Newmarket.
The nine-year-old sprinter is a five-time Group One winner and has run well in the six-furlong test at HQ in the past.
"He hasn't run for a while, but he's training great. He's run in two July Cups," said the County Meath handler.
"He was beaten three lengths by Lethal Force and Society Rock and was beaten two lengths last year by the best sprinter around (Muhaarar).
"He's training well so he's going to take his chance in it this year if we get the ground."
Aidan O'Brien is triple-handed with Air Force Blue, Washington DC and Waterloo Bridge among the 19 entries, which also include King's Stand winner Profitable, who has been added to the field by Clive Cox.
Profitable is unbeaten in three starts this term – the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock and the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot – so owner Alan Spence will have plenty of cash in his account to cover the £40,000 supplementary entry fee.
But the son of Invincible Spirit has only been asked to run further than five furlongs once in his 15-race career – when fifth to the subsequent Darley July Cup hero, Muhaarar, in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup last June.
His potential opponents on Saturday are led by the Henry Candy-trained pair of Twilight Son, already a dual Group 1 winner over this trip, and Limato, beaten favourite in Group 1 company on both of his last two starts and dropping back in distance following a fifth-place finish in the Lockinge Stakes over a mile.
Muhaarar’s handler, Charlie Hills, could be represented by both the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes winner, Magical Memory, a close fourth to Twilight Son in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stake when his chance was compromised by a slow early pace, and the King’s Stand runner-up, Cotai Glory.
Clive Cox, trainer of Profitable, said: “Winning the Darley July Cup three years ago with Lethal Force was a very memorable occasion and it fills me with excitement to be going back there on Saturday with a horse in tip-top order like Profitable.
“He is a really wonderful horse to deal with as he has the most amazing temperament, and he did a very nice piece of work last week. The fact that Newmarket is forecast to have a dry week was also a consideration during some long and healthy discussions whether to supplement.”
“There are no two ways about it, the sixth furlong is an unknown and is something that we are a little uncertain about. He has been extremely successful over five furlongs and since the Nunthorpe Stakes at York is far enough away we were very keen to give him a run in between then and Royal Ascot.
“Last year he ran in the Nunthorpe after a break and I feel that he is clearly better with a busy racing programme. So the choice was between running him at Goodwood [in the Group 2 King George Stakes] with a 5lb penalty or running at Newmarket without one.”
GROUP 1 DARLEY JULY CUP ENTRIES
Arod (IRE), Cotai Glory (GB), Danzeno (GB), Don't Touch (GB), Eastern Impact (IRE), Goken (FR), Jungle Cat (IRE), Limato (IRE), Magical Memory (IRE), Mongolian Saturday (USA), Profitable (IRE), Sole Power (GB), Suedois (FR), Twilight Son (GB), Waady (IRE), Air Force Blue (USA), Washington DC (IRE), Waterloo Bridge (IRE), Quiet Reflection (GB) (19).