Ready, willing, Enable: what can possibly stop the wondermare?

Odds-on and seemingly invincible, Enable has not been beaten in her last ten starts. She returned as good as ever in the Coral-Eclipse and is seeking a ninth career Group 1 in Saturday's Qipco-backed King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. So can anything come between the John Gosden-trained mare and victory?

The opposition

On Monday Enable's trainer John Gosden separately described Saturday's race as 'a tall order' and 'the British version of the Arc'. Given Enable is seeking a history-making third Arc win later this year, her trainer is not underestimating the quality of the field at Ascot and nor should he.

Crystal Ocean is officially rated superior with a mark of 127 compared to Enable's 125 and he captured a breakthrough Group 1 success last time out in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Crystal Ocean landed his first Group 1 success at Royal Ascot last monthCredit: Edward Whitaker

The prospect of further improvement is not hard to envisage from the five-year-old, with Sir Michael Stoute virtually peerless in training older horses to reach new heights season-on-season.

A clash of generations also awaits with Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck leading the Classic challenge, while Defoe has also taken his form to another level in 2019. If all the key players turn up and on their mettle, it will be a massive test for Enable.

Race tactics

How the race will be run could play a major part in who returns to the winner's enclosure. While Aidan O'Brien ruled out Magical and Irish Derby winner Sovereign, he could still have multiple runners.

The rest of the field will be wary of giving any O'Brien-trained runner too much leeway in front after what recently happened at the Curragh, but equally the desire to keep tabs on a potential runaway leader could lead to a disintegration of stamina later in the race.

Alternatively, the plan could be to make Enable do her own donkey work in front. She has made all in the past, but presumably the preferable option in the closing stages would be for her to take aim at a leader, rather than being the target.

This year's Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck is a leading contenderCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Ballydoyle

O'Brien has never been afraid to throw a lot of darts at a star; Frankel and Sea The Stars defeated numerous Ballydoyle-trained runners during their stellar careers.

The maximum amount of runners for Saturday is 11, four trained by O'Brien and one interesting scenario would be a wide draw for Enable, coupled with a double-digit field.

But for all the handwringing over potential tactical scenarios, it is worth remembering Enable will have a notable ally in Frankie Dettori.

Much has been written about the jockey of the moment, and deservedly so given his big-race record this year.

It is not hard to envisage that Dettori is race-riding like a batsman who has spent several hours at the crease and is watching events unfold in slow-motion. He is at the peak of his considerable powers and can prove equal to any tactical ploys.

The ground

In the lead-up to the Eclipse, quick ground was levelled against Enable as a possible negative. She did answer that question when winning at Sandown but with temperatures set to skyrocket this week, conditions at Ascot could well be even faster.

Enable's only defeat came on good to firm ground but that was over two years ago, and she has subsequently won twice on ground described as good to firm.

The hot conditions could also raise the issue of the runners becoming too warm pre-race, but her temperament has been bombproof to date.

bet365 join the Racing Post app. You can bet directly with bet365 on the Racing Post iOS app - to download the latest must-have free app click here