Dubawi Gold is "tremendously well" ahead of his clash with Frankel in Tuesday's St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Richard Hannon's three-year-old got closest to Frankel in the Guineas, some six lengths adrift, before Hannon took him for compensation in the Irish Guineas.
Under a hold-up ride from Richard Hughes, he was unable to reel in Roderic O'Connor, but connections are optimistic that he will run a big race on Tuesday.
Tim Jones, racing manager for Dubawi Gold's owner Andrew Tinkler, said: "The St James's Palace has always been in our minds as the next step, and the only other option for three-year-olds over a mile for a long time is the Prix Jean Prat in early July.
"You make the entries for that on June 15, but you haven't really got an idea what would be running for quite a long time.
"So weighing up the pros and cons, we couldn't see any reason to sidestep the St James's Palace.
"He came out of the Irish Guineas in good order and seems tremendously well. Mentally he has really grown up."
