Enable heads stellar line-up for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot

The John Gosden-trained filly was ridden by Frankie Dettori to Oaks success at Epsom and in Ireland, and goes into tomorrow’s prestigious summer showpiece race at the Berkshire course as favourite ahead of last year’s winner Highland Reel.

Having won the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Coronation Cup since that success, Highland Reel is back to defend his title but on paper faces a stronger field to that of 12 months ago.

As well as Enable, Highland Reel will have to contend with three other previous Group 1 winners: Jack Hobbs, My Dream Boat and Eclipse winner Ulysses. Sixties Song is also a dual Grade 1 winner in South America, while Highland Reel’s year-younger brother Idaho comes in on the back of a win in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The field is completed by Desert Encounter, Benbatl and Maverick Wave, the first two having recorded career-best efforts in the Eclipse and Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot respectively.

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is the highlight of King George Day which takes place every year on the final Saturday in July.Launched in 1952, the feature race, after which the two-day meeting is named, commemorates Her Majesty The Queen’s parents and is regarded as Europe’s premier midseason middle-distance championship race for horses of all age groups.

It has been won in the past by numerous Royal Ascot winners, Epsom Derby winners and Prix De L’Arc de Triomphe winners, many of whom are now immortalised at Ascot through bars that carry their names.

Whilst all eyes will be on The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, there are six other races on the card at Ascot on Saturday including the Group 3 Princess Margaret Juddmonte Stakes and the Longines Handicap (For Lady Amateur Riders)

Swiss watchmaker Longines is the ‘Official Timekeeper’ and Official Watch’ of Ascot Racecourse and Royal Ascot, as well as being the Official Partner and Timekeeper to numerous prestigious events around the world such as the Prix de Diane Longines, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Dubai World Cup, the Melbourne Cup Carnival, and the Kentucky Derby to name but a few.