Tony Bin
The race attracted a field of ten runners, seven trained in the United Kingdom, two from France and one from Italy. The favourite was Unfuwain, a three-year-old colt who had won who had won the Chester Vase by eight lengths and the Princess of Wales's Stakes against older horses by fifteen lengths. The French challengers, Silver Lane and Soft Machine, were not regarded as serious contenders but the Italian runner was the formidable Tony Bin, the winner of the Premio Presidente della Repubblica (twice), the Gran Premio di Milano (twice) and the Gran Premio del Jockey Club. The other major contenders were Mtoto, twice winner of both the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the Eclipse Stakes, Doyoun, winner of the 2000 Guineas and Glacial Storm, runner-up in the Epsom Derby. The Sussex stable of John Dunlop had two representatives, the 1986 St Leger Stakes winner Moon Madness and Almaarad who had won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. The other runner was the filly Percy's Lass, later to become the dam of the Epsom Derby winner Sir Percy. Unfuwain headed the betting at odds of 2/1 ahead of Mtoto (4/1), Tony Bin (9/2) and Glacial Storm (6/1).