Pressing ran in this corresponding event 12 months ago and was comprehensively beaten, but at the time he had only been with his trainer Michael Jarvis a fortnight.
The Newmarket handler believes he is now a 14lb better horse than last year and he is another who won't mind what the ground is, although his recent Group 1 victory in Italy was on soft going.
If there are any chinks in the favourite's armour this could be the horse to exploit them.
He was narrowly beaten by Italian star Saddex last time, a horse Duke Of Marmalade saw off by half a length in the Ganay, suggesting that although O'Brien's colt has the edge he needs to be on top of his game to win this prestigious race.
Phoenix Tower bids to give the leading Royal Ascot trainer Henry Cecil an incredible sixth win in the race, but has never having run over this distance before and that is an obvious concern.
Saeed bin Suroor has won four of the last ten renewals and if his Literato can return to the form of last autumn he would have a major say, but in his two runs this term he hasn't looked the same horse.
It is fitting that at this most regal of occasions the big race should be won by racing royalty and surely there is no better qualified candidate than 'The Duke'.
