The world’s best racehorse takes centre stage in the Group One Sussex Stakes (1,600m) on day two of the Glorious Goodwood Festival on Wednesday.

Baaeed heads the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings on a rating of 128 after extending his unbeaten streak to eight when winning the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in imperious fashion on his last start and is a hot favourite to record a fifth Group One victory in a row.

The four-year-old was already a warm favourite in the ante-post market but his odds shortened dramatically after the news that his likely main rival Coroebus, winner of the Group One 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes, would miss the race through injury.

Baaeed is now forecast to go off at around $1.33 and it would be one of the shocks of the season if he fails to pass the post in front.

There is Hong Kong interest in the big race with owner Marc Chan, who was successful with Lezoo in the Group Two Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, represented by the outsider Angel Bleu.

The three-year-old had a stellar juvenile campaign, winning the Group Two Vintage Stakes at this meeting last year and following that up with a pair of Group One successes in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the Criterium International in France.

Those victories all came in soft or heavy ground and he has struggled on faster surfaces this season. The outsider of the field at around $50, it will be a surprise if Chan has to make room in his luggage for a winning trophy.

Order Of Australia, Chindit and Alcohol Free have all been beaten by Baaeed at one time or another and are only playing for minor places at best, which leaves only Modern Games and Bathrat Leon who have yet to take on British racing’s superstar.

Japanese raider Bathrat Leon was a surprise $66 winner of the Godolphin Mile in Dubai on his last start but that came on dirt. He could well be the one to make the running and it will be interesting to see whether he can cling on to victory.

Modern Games won the Group One French 2,000 Guineas in May and has disappointed a couple of times since. He takes on older horses for the first time and receives eight pounds from Baaeed and Bathrat Leon.

While the Sussex Stakes should go according to the one-way market, the other Group races have more appeal from a betting perspective.

The Group Three Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes (1,400m) features 17 runners, with the favourites poised to go off around the $5 mark.

Baaeed and Nature Strip out to light up day one of Royal Ascot

Heredia and Soft Whisper will have plenty of fans after some solid recent performances but it could pay to side with one at a price in the shape of Allayaali at around $17.

Lightly raced compared with some of her rivals, she was unlucky not to win at Newmarket on her last start after getting a bump and could outrun her odds.

The Group Three Markel Molecomb Stakes (1,000m) is for two-year-old sprinters and there may be a few Hong Kong-based trainers keeping a close on the race as they search for some potential imports.

Favourite Rocket Rodney hails from a selling stable and has some top-class form to his name. He should be difficult to beat but a decent longer-term project could be Trillium, who won easily on her second start.