Shogo Yasuda is hoping his star Danon Decile can climb the mountain to beat British, Irish and French challengers and win the Group One International Stakes (2,051m) race at York on Wednesday.

Living up to its name, the International Stakes has attracted top-class horses from across the globe and Danon Decile, who will be ridden by Keita Tosaki, looks to have a brilliant chance.

The four-year-old has been absent since a brilliant performance to down multiple Group One winner Calandagan and win the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic (2,410m) in April, where he quickened clear by a length and a quarter.

It is easy to argue that he faces an even sterner test at York, but his trainer Yasuda is hopeful that despite the travel, his star can give his rivals a lot to think about.

“Of course, I respect the European horses. It is not easy to travel from Japan, and we have a big mountain to climb but I believe, potentially, he can climb it,” said Yasuda.

“We have not run him again because of the extreme heat in Japan, but I am very happy at how he is now. He can get excited, but he is getting calmer every day he is here in Newmarket, and he seems to be enjoying the different environment. I feel he has a good chance.”

At the top of the market, there is very little to split Ombudsman and Delacroix, who clashed in a titanic tussle for the Group One Eclipse Stakes (2,000m) at Sandown last month.

On that occasion, it was Delacroix who benefited from a superlative ride from Ryan Moore to run down Ombudsman in the final strides and win by a neck.

His trainer Aidan O’Brien was taken by his colt's fast-finishing run at Sandown and, at the weights, he is the one to beat.

“Delacroix’s got a lot of speed and quickens exceptionally well. It’s rare to see what he did, and is what sets good horses apart,” said O’Brien.

John and Thady Gosden will be hopeful of a reversal with Ombudsman, however, as their Godolphin-owned Royal Ascot winner made an early move off a muddling pace before succumbing to Delacroix late.

On this occasion, Godolphin will leave nothing to chance, employing Birr Castle as a pacemaker, and joint-trainer Thady Gosden is hopeful of a huge effort.

“He won at his first attempt in a Group 1 race and at Sandown was beaten by a top-class three-year-old. He’s come out of that race well. He’s such a genuine horse, has got the required speed, and hopefully will run a good race,” said Gosden.

The French flavour is added to the race by Daryz, who is unbeaten in four career starts and was a smooth winner of a Group Two last time.

Andrew Balding’s filly See The Fire, a 12-length Group Two winner at York in May against her own sex, rounds out the field.