Racing:Aidan O'Brien has left in his three entries at the confirmation stage for the 48th John Smith's Cup at York on Saturday.
Trinity College, Hitchcock and the progressive Sorolla are the Ballydoyle trainer's trio among a total of 36 horses standing their ground in the valuable handicap.
The O'Brien team is not the only big stable well represented as Saeed bin Suroor is considering the £150,000 heritage handicap for course winner Emirates Skyline and Count Treviso.
Barry Hills can choose from Mutawassel and Desert Dew, while Sir Michael Stoute has an interesting entry in the impeccably-bred Greek Well, winner of his last two starts.
Malton-based handler Richard Fahey is currently mob-handed with seven hopefuls - Charlie Tokyo, Flying Clarets, Smart Instinct, Fortunate Isle, Peruvian Prince, Benandonner and Avoriaz.
Other interesting entries include the David Barron-trained Flipando, winner of the Zetland Gold Cup and Royal Hunt Cup runner-up, as well as Karl Burke's Boo, who was third to Fairmile last year.
The race will be run over nine furlongs instead of an extended mile and a quarter for the first time in the race's history as the back straight of the course is waterlogged following the recent floods.
Sorolla has been installed 6-1 clear favourite with totesport.
The three-year-old colt, on a hat-trick after wins at Cork and Naas, could give the Ballydoyle trainer a second success in the race after Mullins Bay in 2005.
"O'Brien won the race a couple of years ago with Mullins Bay, and Sorolla looks to have a decent chance of providing the stable with another winner," said totesport spokesman Damian Walker.
"Sorolla has won his last two races from the front and horses that race prominently tend to do well in these big-field York handicaps."