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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.”

Dubai Sheema Classic winner Dar Re Mi features among 13 remaining entries in the Coral-Eclipse on Saturday.

John Gosden’s five-year-old has not raced on British soil since beating Sariska in the Yorkshire Oaks last August but has since finished fifth in the Arc, third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and tasted glory on World Cup night at Meydan.

Aidan O’Brien has six possible runners as he seeks a fifth success in the Sandown showpiece. Royal Ascot disappointment Steinbeck could be joined by Ballydoyle stablemates Beethoven, Bright Horizon, Encompassing, Fencing Master and Viscount Nelson.

Connections of Mawatheeq will be hoping for an improved performance after he was well beaten on his Ascot reappearance, while Henry Cecil’s Twice Over could bid for a second Group One win following his narrow defeat in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

Jukebox Jury, Sri Putra, Zacinto and Chabal complete the list.