Unbeaten Frankel tops a quality list of runners for the inaugural British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday.
The colt, trained by Sir Henry Cecil, heads eight horses declared for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
It is one of five championship contests on Britain's richest ever raceday, where prize money totalling £3m will be on offer.
So You Think, the mount of Ryan Moore, is the likely favourite for the concluding Champion Stakes.
Racing's headlines before the big meeting have been dominated by tougher whip rules for jockeys and bans for riders who have flouted the regulations.
But the sport's rulers are hoping attention will focus on the equine stars in a new curtain call to the Flat season.
Fame and Glory, Deacon Blues, Dancing Rain, Immortal Verse, Midday, Twice Over and Snow Fairy are just some of the leading horses competing.
With Ascot deemed to have bigger facilities and profile, the Champions Day concept has been moved 100 miles from Newmarket, which previously held the Long Distance Cup, Fillies and Mares Stakes and the Champion Stakes.
Ascot was home to the big sprint race and the QEII Stakes but they were run in late September until now.
The 2,000 Guineas winner Frankel, who is ridden by Tom Queally, is considered one of the best horses of recent times and seeks a ninth career victory in the £1m QEII Stakes over a mile.
"No race is a formality. There is no such thing as a 'good thing' but I am very happy with him," said Cecil.
His opponents include French filly Immortal verse, Royal Ascot winner Excelebration and Frankie Dettori's mount Poet's Voice.
Frankel's stablemate Bullet Train is likely to be pacemaker, with Dick Turpin, Side Glance and Dubawi Gold completing the field.
The Queen will present the trophy to the winner of the race named in her honour.
Immediately following Frankel's run is a fiercely-competitive Champion Stakes, worth £1.3m, over a mile-and-a-quarter.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained So You Think, who was fourth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on 2 October, is seeking his fifth win of the season.
His opponents include Arc third Snow Fairy, a former dual Oaks winner.
Cecil runs two-time Champion Stakes victor Twice Over and top mare Midday, while Dettori is on Dubai Prince for trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni, who also has Casamento.
King George winner Nathaniel and French raider Cirrus Des Aigles are also entered along with Green Destiny, Ransom Note, Sri Putra and Wigmore Hall.
The meeting begins with the Long Distance Cup, featuring Fame and Glory and Opinion Poll, first and second in the Gold Cup at Ascot.
Deacon Blues, another winner at the Royal meeting in June, is among the hopefuls for the British Champions Sprint together with Society Rock, also trained by James Fanshawe.
Epsom Oaks winner Dancing Rain faces rivals such as Meeznah and Crystal Capella in the Fillies and Mares' Stakes.
