IT is rare for Aidan O’Brien to be heading into a race as an underdog but that is the case in the Hardwicke Stakes, where Idaho takes on Crystal Ocean.

The five-year-old son of Galileo has been a real globetrotter and appears to have taken over the mantle of his brother, Highland Reel, who represented Ballydoyle so admirably for a number of years.

Idaho brought to a halt a run of three straight Hardwicke triumphs for Crystal Ocean and trainer Sir Michael Stoute when he claimed the race 12 months ago.

Stoute fielded the favourite last year in Dartmouth, who could finish only fourth, but St Leger runner-up Crystal Ocean is even shorter in the betting, having easily won his two starts this term for the Newmarket handler.

Having run in America, France, Canada, Japan and Dubai since winning the Hardwicke last year, Idaho this season claimed the Ormonde Stakes at Chester but was then bogged down in the Coronation Cup at Epsom.

O’Brien said: “He’s in good form and he won well at Chester. He was a little disappointing at Epsom. The ground was a little bit on the slow side and maybe that was the reason. Maybe it was the track, we are not sure. He seems to be in good form.

“I think he is a very straightforward horse. He very rarely runs a bad race. He doesn’t always win, but he is consistent enough.”

Roger Varian saddles Barsanti, who won an informative renewal of the Buckhounds Stakes at Ascot on his last start. The Newmarket handler said: “Barsanti was a bit unlucky in this race last year and his training has been better in the build-up to the contest this time around. These are his optimum conditions and I am looking forward to running him.”