The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (2,400m) at Ascot is one of British racing’s midsummer highlights and this year’s renewal promises to be a thriller.

Despite featuring just six runners, the race is packed with quality and that is underlined by the fact that globetrotting Group One winner Pyledriver, who finished second in the Hong Kong Vase in December and was an unlucky fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March and runner-up in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last time, is the outsider of the field at around $20.

The five-year-old is an admirable performer but with improving Classic winners, an Arc victor, top-class older horses and possibly the best three-year-old filly in Britain in the field, he will possibly need a career-best if he is to even make the places.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is the richest flat race in Europe and every year attracts top-class international competition, with Japan regularly launching assaults on a race that continues to elude them.

German raider Torquator Tasso was a shock winner of the 2021 Arc at odds of 72/1 and is attempting to take out another of the continent’s top races here. He warmed up for this test with an easy success in Group Two company at Hamburg on his last start but that and his Arc victory were both achieved in soft underfoot conditions.

With Britain experiencing a mini-heatwave earlier this week and temperature records being broken around the country, the ground at Ascot is unlikely to play to his strengths.

Three-year-olds Westover and Emily Upjohn receive 11 pounds and 14 pounds respectively from their older rivals, which make them the clear picks at the weights.

Westover finished an unlucky third in the Derby after suffering trouble in running in the straight but made amends for that defeat when running away with the Irish Derby by seven lengths last time.

He is likely to go off favourite for the King George and victory for Westover would continue a purple patch for trainer Ralph Beckett, who has five Group One wins to his name in the last 12 months.

John Gosden is no stranger to Hong Kong after saddling The Fugue to finish second in the Hong Kong Vase in 2013 and he has yet another top-class filly on his hands in Emily Upjohn.

She lost her unbeaten record when finishing second in the Oaks at Epsom but ran a remarkable race after stumbling at the start and losing many lengths. She put in a huge effort to be beaten just a short-head and plenty of her age and sex have won this race.

Gosden also runs Mishriff, who would take his prize money earnings to more than £12 million (HK$112.8m) with a win, and he looks the best older horse after finishing an unlucky second in the Group One Coral Eclipse last time.

The field is completed by Broome, who won the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last time but was beaten nearly 10 lengths in this race last year.

Elsewhere on the Ascot card, regular Hong Kong visitor Ryan Moore jumps back aboard Tactical in the Moet & Chandon International Handicap (1,400m).

Moore finished sixth on the queen’s horse at Royal Ascot and would have finished at least in the frame with a clearer run. The galloper can be backed at around $11.