Fantastic Light, the second-favourite for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot this weekend, breezed through his final gallop before the big race at Newmarket yesterday. The five-year-old worked over five furlongs with Broche, and afterwards Saeed bin Suroor, his trainer, was confident that "everything is ready for Saturday".

Broche, too, may have been preparing to play a leading role in the King George, since either he or Give The Slip, last year's Ebor winner, will run as a pacemaker for the main Godolphin hope on Saturday. Fantastic Light is generally a 2-1 chance with the bookmakers to improve on his second place behind Montjeu in the same race 12 months ago, although William Hill will still lay 9-4 this morning. Galileo remains a 4-7 chance.

Godolphin also issued an upbeat bulletin on Fantastic Light's progress via their website. "Fantastic Light has improved since last year," Simon Crisford, their racing manager, said. "He is older and stronger and has very effective acceleration at the end of a true-run race. His run [in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot] was a career-best performance, and he will have to reproduce that effort, at least, in order to have a realistic chance of winning on Saturday, [but] he is giving us all the right signals."

Mutamam, the winner of the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month, will also be in the field when the final declarations for the King George are made this morning. Alec Stewart, his trainer, had been worried that Ascot might come too soon for his six-year-old, who was running for the first time since last November when he won at the July meeting.

However, Mutamam appears to have taken the race well, and Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum, who won the King George with Nashwan in 1989, is eager to run.

"We wanted to be certain," Stewart said yesterday. "He did have a hard race and it was very testing ground but he looks wonderful and is eating well, so he is giving me all the outward signs that he is fine. Sheikh Hamdan is keen to run, but though Mutamam has acquitted himself well in Group One races in the past, this is the most competitive Group One he has ever run in. Galileo and Fantastic Light have outstanding claims, and I'm under no illusions as to the hard task Mutamam faces to be in the shake-up."

John Dunlop's two King George entries, Millenary and Golden Snake, will also be declared this morning, although the trainer is concerned that fast ground at Ascot would count against Golden Snake. Pat Eddery has been booked to ride Golden Snake, with Kieren Fallon pencilled in for Millenary, but Eddery could yet switch to last year's St Leger winner if his intended mount is withdrawn.

The most significant jockey booking, meanwhile, will be finalised today, when Mick Kinane appeals against the suspension, imposed by stewards in Ireland last week, which would force him to give up the ride on Galileo. If his appeal is rejected, Johnny Murtagh will take over on the Derby winner.

Fallon will also ride a leading contender in Saturday's main supporting race at Ascot, the Tote International Handicap.

Jeremy Noseda booked the former champion yesterday for Hurricane Floyd, who has been quietly backed in recent days and is a 12-1 chance with the sponsors. The Tote also reported support yesterday for Misraah, who is now their clear 7-1 favourite (from 9-1), and True Night (14-1 from 20-1).