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Borderlescott is set to defend his crown in Friday’s Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York and features among 13 declarations for the Group One heat.

Robin Bastiman’s stable stalwart is chasing a hat-trick in the race having also scored when it was run at Newmarket in 2008. He looked highly unlikely to line up this year after suffering what was initially thought to have been a season-ending injury following a recent success at Goodwood.

Chief among his opposition is Aidan O’Brien’s Starspangledbanner, winner of the Golden Jubilee and July Cup on his last two appearances. Kingsgate Native won this race as a juvenile for John Best in 2007 and goes again, this time for Sir Michael Stoute.

Best is represented by another interesting juvenile, Stone Of Folca, who like Kingsgate Native did three years ago, heads to the Knavesmire as a maiden.

Barry Hills’ Equiano has yet to finish outside the first two in 2010 and is another major player, as is Jeremy Noseda’s speedy filly Fleeting Spirit. Hills also saddles Prime Defender, dual course winner Rose Blossom represents Richard Fahey and Sole Power joins Starspangledbanner on the trip from Ireland. Spin Cycle, Mister Hughie, Piccadilly Filly and Dinkum Diamond complete the line-up.

Harbinger has been hailed as “one of the all-time greats” after injury forced connections to announce the colt’s retirement from racing.

The four-year-old colt became the highest-rated Flat horse in the world following his breathtaking 11-length triumph in last month’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

But less than a fortnight before his next intended target, the Juddmonte International at York on August 17, Harbinger fractured his near-fore cannon bone on the gallops in Newmarket on Saturday.

The son of Dansili underwent surgery on Saturday evening, but connections felt it was too much of a risk to return the Sir Michael Stoute inmate to the racecourse.

A decision on a potential stud career has yet to be confirmed.

Harry Herbert, racing manager for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said in a statement issued on behalf of the colt’s owners, the Admiral Rous Syndicate: “It is with regret that it has been decided to retire Harbinger from racing.

“Thanks to the professionalism of the veterinary surgeons, Bruce Bladon of O’Gorman Slater & Main, Andrew Bathe of Rossdale & Partners and Antony Clements of Baker & McVeigh, the operation undertaken at Rossdales Hospital has been successful.

“We are pleased to report that the horse is recovering well. The decision to retire Harbinger is based on the welfare of the horse which is paramount. The owners, for whom this is very sad, are naturally sorry that their great horse has had his career cut short.

“In winning the Hardwicke Stakes so impressively and then producing one of the greatest performances of all time to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes by 11 lengths in record time, Harbinger has confirmed himself as one of the all-time greats.”

Harbinger is reported to be in a comfortable condition following surgery after suffering a career-threatening leg injury.

The brilliant winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, fractured his near-fore cannon bone during a routine spin on the gallops in Newmarket.

John Warren, co-owner of Highclere Stud, said: “He had a comfortable night. The surgery he had was straightforward and all of those things. Hopefully we will know more later this afternoon.”

Harbinger, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, was officially rated the best horse in the world after winning the King George by 11 lengths in a record time.

He was next scheduled to run in the Juddmonte International at York later this month, after which the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was on the agenda.

The son of Dansili has won his last four races, including the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, and has accrued over £770,000 in prize-money.

Harry Herbert is still on cloud nine following Harbinger’s scarcely believable display in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

The Dansili colt was tackling Group One company for the first time in the Betfair-sponsored contest but barely came off the bridle in breaking the course record and scoring by 11 lengths.

Harbinger’s Derby-winning stablemate Workforce and Irish Derby hero Cape Blanco were among those left trailing in his wake and Herbert, racing manager to owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, admits the display is still hard to take in.

“I don’t think it’s really sunk in for any of us and it was one of those rare racecourse performances where it is difficult to believe it actually happened,” he said.

“I think it was a once-in-a-lifetime performance and it’s hard to understand how horses can improve so rapidly, but he obviously has done and is doing so.

“I find it extraordinary that he’s broken the track record when he has really been given an easy time during the entire race. Olivier (Peslier) didn’t have to get after him once and watching the replay again I was as amazed and gobsmacked as I was at the time.

“There was that amazing shot where he came by Workforce and Cape Blanco on the bridle and it is just all so exciting.”

The four-year-old is now as short as even-money favourite to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October and Herbert has his eyes very much fixed on the French showpiece.

He continued: “It was a great performance and a great training performance and we will almost certainly look towards the Arc now. I’ll talk to Sir Michael (Stoute) and see whether he wants to go straight there or give him a prep race.

“I certainly couldn’t rule out the Breeders’ Cup and there are other races like the Japan Cup. Then the decision will have to be made about what we do next year. All of the owners will have to decide whether we keep him and race again.”

Stablemates Workforce and Harbinger feature among eight possible runners in a mouth-watering renewal of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday.

Workforce was a hugely impressive winner of the Investec Derby at Epsom on his latest appearance and bids to become the first three-year-old since Alamshar in 2003 to win Ascot’s mid-summer showpiece.

Fellow Sir Michael Stoute inmate Harbinger arrives on the back of a runaway success in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and will be ridden by Olivier Peslier, with stable jockey Ryan Moore siding with the Epsom hero.

Stoute trained Conduit, Tartan Bearer and Ask to a one-two-three in the race 12 months ago and is an outside bet to repeat the feat having also left in Confront, although he is likely to take up a pacemaking role.

Aidan O’Brien has saddled Galileo (2001), Dylan Thomas (2007) and Duke Of Marmalade (2008) to King George success and his main candidate this time would appear to be Irish Derby winner Cape Blanco.

Epsom runner-up At First Sight could join him on the trip from Ballydoyle for the Betfair-sponsored event.

John Gosden’s three-time Group One winner Dar Re Mi will bid to become the first filly or mare to win the race since Time Charter in 1983, a statistic which also faces French raider Daryakana. Youmzain completes the field as he continues to search for first British Group One win.

Daryakana, unraced at two, was unbeaten in five starts last year and although she has failed to strike in two starts since the turn of the year, her trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre feels she is now in peak condition.

He said: “It is going to be a very good race but the filly is going well. This will be her third run of the year and she is perfect. I think she will improve through the year. She didn’t have a good race at Saint-Cloud last time as there was no pace and it was not easy for her.”

Royal Ascot heroine Hibaayeb is reported to be in the form of her life as she bids to give the Godolphin team their first taste of success in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Sunday.

The daughter of Singspiel was an impressive winner of the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot and Saeed bin Suroor has been thrilled with her subsequent progress, though he does not want conditions at the Curragh to become too testing.

“She ran a huge race last time and came out of the race really well. Her condition is very good and she looks better than ever at the moment,” said bin Suroor.

“It’s a very tough race, but the filly is really happy and working very well. Good ground would be fine for her, so I hope it is not too soft.”

The Godolphin team are double-handed in the race, with the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained Miss Jean Brodie taking a big jump in class following success in a Doncaster maiden.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Eldalil chased Hibaayeb home at Royal Ascot and Angus Gold, racing manager for owner Hamdan Al Maktoum, is hopeful of further improvement.

He said: “We hope she has improved since Ascot and she will need to as she is jumping up a grade. They say the ground is going to be good or possibly a little bit easier and I just hope it doesn’t go too soft.

“She’s taking on the top mile-and-a-half fillies around so I can’t say she’ll win it, but I thought if she’d broken better at Ascot, then she’d have finished an awful lot closer to the winner.

“She proved that day that she stayed the trip, so hopefully she’ll run a decent race on Sunday.”

Tom Queally will ride dual 1000 Guineas winner Special Duty for Criquette Head-Maarek in the Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday.

Queally – fresh from Group One success on the Henry Cecil-trained Twice Over in the Eclipse at the weekend – comes in for the ride after Christophe Lemaire suffered a leg fracture in a fall at Compiegne on Monday afternoon.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, told Press Association Sport: “Tom Queally will ride Special Duty in the Falmouth on Wednesday. It looks a hot race, but she’s in grand form and we’re looking forward to it.”

A high-class field of eight will go to post for the opening day highlight of the July meeting.

Group One winners dominate the field, with Special Duty aiming for a hat-trick after being awarded her two Classic victories in the stewards’ room.

Aidan O’Brien’s Lillie Langtry is looking to follow up her impressive win in the Coronation Stakes, while Lahaleeb will be having her first start for Gerard Butler since being bought by current connections for £1million guineas.

Adding further strength in depth is Sir Michael Stoute’s Strawberrydaiquiri, a gutsy winner of the Windsor Forest at Royal Ascot.

Just touched off in the same race was James Fanshawe’s Spacious and the pair will clash again, with Kieren Fallon taking over in the saddle as Johnny Murtagh is on board Lillie Langtry.

Mick Channon’s luckless Music Show has run well in all the top races so far this season but only has a victory in the Nell Gwyn to show for her efforts, while Mark Johnston’s Rainfall is the most unexposed horse in the field, winning the Jersey Stakes against the colts on only her third start.

The field is completed by Jim Bolger’s Gile Ne Greine, third in the Guineas at Newmarket and second in the Coronation Stakes last time out.

Twice Over will spearhead a double-pronged raid on Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown for owner Khalid Abdullah.

Henry Cecil’s five-year-old will be joined by Sir Michael Stoute’s Zacinto, giving Abdullah a strong hand as he searches for more Group One glory in what has already been a hugely successful season thanks to Special Duty, Workforce and Byword.

Twice Over gave him a one-two at Royal Ascot by chasing home Byword and connections hope he can go one better at the weekend, with Cecil giving him the green light to take his chance on the ground.

“The horse is in good form. He doesn’t want any jar in the ground but Andrew Cooper (clerk of the course) is well aware of that so we expect good ground for him on Saturday,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, Abdullah’s racing manager.

“It was a cracking run at Ascot. He got shuffled back. He likes to be ridden relatively prominently and by the time he got out and got going, it was too late. Henry has brought him back tremendously well. The horse looks in great shape now and let’s hope he can go on.”

Zacinto showed more of his old sparkle when fourth to Goldikova in the Queen Anne Stakes and steps up to 10 furlongs for the first time.

Grimthorpe added on At The Races: “Sir Michael seems very pleased. His run in the Queen Anne showed he was back on track. In the back of Sir Michael’s mind has been the fact he might need to step up to a mile and a quarter and pretty soon after the Queen Anne, Ryan Moore agreed.

“He would need to run to the form from the QEII last year against Rip Van Winkle to be competitive in this. There is plenty of stamina in his pedigree.”

Aidan O’Brien has nominated Irish 2000 Guineas third and French Derby fifth Viscount Nelson as his leading contender from the six Ballydoyle entries.

He said: “Viscount Nelson is our main runner and it is possible we may run something else. Beethoven might also run, but I doubt any of the others will with Fencing Master going to go for a mile-and-a-half race at Longchamp and Steinbeck being kept back for a Group race at the Curragh.”

Harbinger has been given the green light to lock horns with Derby-winning stablemate Workforce in next month’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Sir Michael Stoute’s colt, owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, turned in a hugely impressive display in last weekend’s Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and will now return to the Berkshire track for his first Group One assignment on July 24.

Speaking on www.highclere.co.uk, Stoute said: “He has come out of last week’s race in good form and cantered (on Thursday morning). He deserves to take his chance and, as we saw on Saturday, he was well-suited to Ascot’s galloping track.”

Highclere’s racing manager Harry Herbert added: “We are all thrilled that Sir Michael is keen to run Harbinger in the King George and what a race it promises to be, especially taking on such an impressive Derby winner in Workforce.

“This will be Highclere’s first runner in the race and all of our owners could not be more excited at the prospect.”

Eleanora Duse emerged a most appropriate winner of the Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes at Newbury in the colours of the race sponsors Ballymacoll Stud.

Many top quality horses have carried the pale colours of Lord Weinstock, a celebrated businessman and the force behind Ballymacoll, and his widow Lady Weinstock made a rare visit to the racecourse to watch the improving daughter of Azamour in action.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Eleanora Duse finished a length behind Aviate in the Musidora Stakes at York but faced a swarm of similar types in this Listed event.

Ryan Moore, who was to ride three more winners on the card, collared the front-running Deidre with two of the 10 furlongs left and his mount, an 11-4 shot, bounded two and a quarter lengths clear.

Pink Symphony, just behind Eleanora Duse in the Musidora, confirmed the form in second, while 9-4 favourite Lady Darshaan was a touch disappointing in fourth.

Stoute’s partner, Coral Pritchard-Gordon, said: “Ryan was very pleased with her and he said that she stayed very well. He said that on better ground she could be an even nicer filly and she looks the part.”

Lady Weinstock said: “I’m often asked how often I go racing and I always reply, ‘Only when they win’.”

There were a handful of interesting events on a grey and rather sleepy afternoon in Berkshire.

Most notable was the other of Moore’s winners for Stoute in division one of the sportingbet.com Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Nouriya (8-11 favourite) had shown great promise in both of her previous starts, the latest behind the smart Gertrude Bell at the course in April, and she simply outclassed her rivals.