Godolphin and Ballydoyle, whose rivalry was a key feature of the 2001 Flat season, dominate the nominations for the 35th annual Derby Awards.
The two camps will do battle in three categories - owner, jockey and trainer - at the Horserace Writers And Photographers Association function, supported by Blue Square, at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, on December 10.
Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O'Brien has just been crowned champion Flat trainer in both England and Ireland thanks to such superstars as the three-year-old Galileo.
He trained the dual Derby and King George hero for Mrs Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor, who have been nominated for the owner prize.
Stable jockey Michael Kinane completes the Ballydoyle team to be nominated.
Godolphin, Sheikh Mohammed's brainchild, are in the same three categories backed up by jockey Frankie Dettori and trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
They too had a wonderful season capped by the victories of Sakhee in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe-Lucien Barriere and Fantastic Light in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
But there is also room for "the small man" with Milton Bradley, responsible for prolific winning sprinters such as Brevity, also nominated for the Flat trainer's prize and the Grand National winning combination of jumps trainer Norman Mason and rider Richard Guest also short-listed in their respective sections.
Graham Rock has been awarded the George Ennor Trophy for a lifetime's achievement in racing. Rock, who is currently writing for The Observer, has been a member of the BBC's racing team and was the first editor of the Racing Post.
Nominations:
Journalist:Marcus Armytage (Daily Telegraph), Charles Fawcus (Daily Mirror), Doug Moscrop (Newcastle Journal), Clare Balding (BBC), Alan Lee (The Times), Jim C. McGrath (Timeform, Channel 4).
Owner of the year:Godolphin, Gerald Leigh, Norman Mason, Michael Tabor/Sue Magnier.
Flat jockey:Kevin Darley, Frankie Dettori, Kieren Fallon, Michael Kinane.
Flat trainer:Milton Bradley, Aidan O'Brien, Sir Michael Stoute, Saeed bin Suroor.
Jump jockey:Mick Fitzgerald, Richard Guest, Richard Johnson, Tony McCoy.
Jump trainer:Francois Doumen, Norman Mason, Paul Nicholls, Martin Pipe.
PA