LAST year' winner Battaash features among 15 horses standing their ground at the confirmation stage for the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood on Friday.

Charles Hills' crack sprinter, runner-up in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, would be the first horse since Lochsong in 1993 and 1994 to win back-to-back renewals of the five-furlong dash.

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, who owns Battaash, also has Muhmir, who won this prize in 2015 and is trained by William Haggas.

Take Cover, successful in 2014 and 2016, is on course to try to win it for a third time at the age of 11 for trainer David Griffiths. He could be joined by stablemate Duke Of Firenze.

Karl Burke has left in Havana Grey, winner of the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes over the course and distance in 2017. He opened his account for this season with victory in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh last week.

Mr Lupton has been supplemented by trainer Richard Fahey following his listed victory at York earlier this month, while Aidan O'Brien has left in Washington DC, Battle Of Jericho, Declarationofpeace, Sioux Nation and Different League.

Kachy, Stone Of Destiny, Heartache and Main Desire make up the list of possibles.