Dubai: Mukhadram will bid to replicate his impressive Eclipse Stakes (G1) victory when he lines up to contest the £1 million (Dh6.3 million) King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) — a race hailed as the European middle-distance championship — at Ascot at the weekend.

Trained by William Haggas, the son of Shamardal bagged a long-overdue first Group 1 success when successful in the Sandown showpiece over 2,000m last week. He will be stepping up to a challenging mile and half, where he could face leading stars such as Telescope, Magician, Kingston Hill and Ruler of The World.

He has never raced over a trip further than 10 furlongs before, but the King George is the natural progression for horses of his ilk.

Mukhadram will also attempt to secure a long-awaited second success for owner Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, in the prestigious British Champions Series contest, which is the highlight of the Ascot weekend.

Shaikh Hamdan last won the event in 1989 with Nashwan.

“William is very keen to go to the King George and that’s a very obvious target,” Shaikh Hamdan’s racing manager Angus Gold said after the Eclipse. “The trainer has always felt he wanted to give him a go at a mile and a half and I have no doubt he will stay.

“We’ll see how the horse comes out of this race and then ask Shaikh Hamdan if he wants to go up in distance or if he wants to keep him for the Juddmonte International, but at the moment he’s in a good place and will have got some confidence now.

“He’s a horse that gives everything every time and only ever goes down fighting. If he’s in good form leading up to the King George, it’s going to be a huge temptation as it’s a fabulous race to win. This horse seems to like going right-handed and has run his best races at Sandown and Ascot.”

Godolphin, who have won the event five times since the late Lammtarra’s success in 1995, are likely to be represented by Trading Leather and True Story.

Saeed Bin Surour, who trained True Story, accounts for Godolphin’s past winners of the great race, including Swain (1997-’98), Daylami (1999) and Doyen (2004).

John Gosden, who won the King George in 2011 with Nathaniel, is likely to supplement Royal Ascot scorer Eagle Top.

The three-year-old defeated the Aidan O’Brien-trained Adelaide by three and a half lengths in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal meeting and Gosden told The Times: “He worked well on Saturday. It costs £75,000 to supplement, so you have to be pretty sure of yourself, but we can leave it another week. It’s a strong possibility.”

Sir Michael Stoute’s Hardwicke Stakes scorer Telescope is the ante-post favourite, with last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) winner Magician the second favourite.