Confirmed runners and riders for Saturday's Lockinge Stakes at Newbury featuring Big Rock and Inspiral

Big Rock and Inspiral could not be separated in the market for Saturday's Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (3.35) at Newbury as the 2-1 joint-favourites with bet365 were among 11 declared.

All runners stood their ground on Thursday morning for the third domestic Group 1 of the season.

Big Rock, the sole International challenger in the line-up, returns to the track for the first time since recording a staggering six-length win in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Qipco British Champions Day in October. The performance made him the world's highest-rated miler and fourth best overall.

Yet he faces stiff opposition in six-time Group 1 winner Inspiral, who came out on top in their only previous match-up in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August. The John and Thady Gosden-trained mare finished strongly that day to win by a length and a quarter.

Silvestre de Sousa has built up a good relationship with Charyn this season, winning twice including in the Sandown Mile last time. Roger Varian has given him the ride again with the combination looking to repeat their Group 1 heroics achieved in the 1,000 Guineas with Elmalka.

At Sandown, Charyn was one place ahead of Poker Face, who will reoppose representing the Simon and Ed Crisford operation. The five-year-old made incredible improvement throughout last season, completing a hat-trick in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein at Longchamp on Arc weekend. The cheekpieces were added for his comeback and are retained.

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Ryan Moore will take the ride on Hi Royal for just the second time. He was aboard the Kevin Ryan-trained colt for his 2,000 Guineas warm-up last season while he then went on to post a career-best when a 125-1 second in the Newmarket Classic.

Royal Scotsman will be aided by a first-time tongue tie on his seasonal comeback. The four-year-old mount of Jamie Spencer has not been seen since his back-to-back disappointments in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, when sent off 6-4 favourite, and St James's Palace Stakes.

Audience, Dear My Friend, Flight Plan, Real World and Witch Hunter complete the line-up.

Lockinge Stakes confirmed runners and riders

• Audience Robert Havlin
• Big Rock Aurelien Lemaitre
• Charyn Silvestre de Sousa
• Dear My Friend Joe Fanning
• Flight Plan Danny Tudhope
• Hi Royal Ryan Moore
• Poker Face James Doyle
• Real World Oisin Murphy
• Royal Scotsman Jamie Spencer
• Witch Hunter Sean Levey
• Inspiral Kieran Shoemark

Coral: 7-4 Big Rock, 9-4 Inspiral, 9-2 Charyn, 6 Poker Face, 14 Royal Scotsman, 22 Flight Plan, 25 Real World, 50 Audience, Dear My Friend, Hi Royal, Witch Hunter

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2024 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes contenders: assessing the key runners for the big race on Saturday 

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