That form has worked out extremely well, with runner-up Dick Turpin occupying the same position in the French equivalent, and the much-hyped Canford Cliffs, third at Newmarket, storming home in the Irish Guineas at the Curragh.

Makfi’s trainer Mikel Delzangles said: “The form is very good and we are looking forward to meeting Canford Cliffs and Dick Turpin in Ascot, I’m sure other horses from the French Guineas will go over too so it should be a great race.

“Canford Cliffs won very easily and I think the mile in Ireland suited him well.

“Makfi has not been doing too much, but he came back from Newmarket very well and we have kept his condition.

“He has only had three runs in his life, two of them this year. He is much harder, he knows he is a racehorse now and is going the right way.

“I don’t think he should have any problems with the track at Ascot, the round mile there should suit him well with the way he runs.”

Delzangles is no stranger to success at the Royal meeting, either, although not actually in Berkshire.

He added: “I have had a runner – and a winner – at Royal Ascot before, that was Chineur when he won the King’s Stand the year (2005) the meeting was held at York.”