King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes: Timeform's runner-by-runner guide

1. Cheval Grand (Yasuo Tomomichi/Oisin Murphy)
A very smart performer in Japan, he won the 2017 Japan Cup before finishing fourth to Almond Eye in the latest renewal in November. Improved on that performance when finishing a creditable second in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan behind Old Persian, when forced wide on the home turn. Others have more obvious claims, though.

2. Crystal Ocean (Sir Michael Stoute/James Doyle)
Produced an epic battle when only just denied in this last season by Poet's Word, when they pulled nine lengths clear of the rest. His master trainer looks to have improved him again and he looked better than ever when beating Magical in Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot last month to win his first Group 1. That form ties him closely to Enable and a bold bid is expected back up in trip.

3. Defoe (Roger Varian/Andrea Atzeni)
A high-class performer, who has stepped up again this year, picking up his first top level success in the Coronation Cup at Epsom in May. He followed that up with a very smart effort to win the Hardwicke Stakes over C&D last time out, and although he's likely to give this a good go, he still has a bit to find with the principals on form.

4. Hunting Horn (Aidan O'Brien/Seamie Heffernan)
Has some solid course form to his name, winning the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes in 2018, but he's consistently come up short at the top level ever since and is likely to be used as he was in the Coral Eclipse, as a pacemaker, to try and get the race to suit his stablemates rather than him. As such, he's on that basis with headgear fitted for the first time.

5. Morando (Andrew Balding/ P. J. McDonald)
Relished the step up in trip when winning the Ormonde Stakes on reappearance at Chester on heavy ground, but he's failed to uphold that form in the Coronation Cup and the Hardwicke Stakes since, and would have something to find even if conditions softened up.

6. Salouen (Sylvester Kirk/Jim Crowley)
A consistent sort, who built on a string of placed efforts in pattern company to resume winning ways in listed company over C&D in May. He followed that up with a strong effort to finish third in the Coronation Cup next time out, but he tends to save his best form for Epsom and will likely fall short here after a poor run in the Hardwicke Stakes last time out.

7. Waldgeist (Andre Fabre/Pierre-Charles Boudot)
Proved himself to be a smart performer in an excellent 4-y-o season, winning four Group races on the spin, including a Group 1 at Saint-Cloud. He was ready winner of the Prix Ganay at Longchamp on his return, before finishing a respectable third to Crystal Ocean at Royal Ascot last time, when he found himself further back than ideal before finishing well. The step back up in trip could therefore bring him closer, but he would need to improve again to challenge.

8. Enable (John Gosden/Frankie Dettori)
A superstar mare who continues to break records, and arrives here looking for her 11th win on the spin. She became the first Arc winner to follow up in the Breeders' Cup Turf last season, and looked just as good as ever when winning her eighth career Group 1 in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown on return - when never looking like being beaten. She won this as a three-year-old in 2017 and is the one to beat as she bids to become the first horse to ever regain the King George.

9. Magic Wand (Aidan O'Brien/Donnacha O'Brien)
A smart filly in her own right, as she proved when winning the Ribblesdale in 2018, and she has produced some good efforts in defeat this term, most notably when finishing second in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh last time out. The form hasn't worked out since, however, and it's likely that she will fall short again in this lofty company.

10. Anthony Van Dyck (Aidan O'Brien/Ryan Moore)
Proved he has stamina in abundance when getting up late to win the Epsom Derby in June, and although he failed to complete a double in the Irish equivalent last time out, he was given too much to do when stablemate Sovereign slipped the field. The application of headgear should sharpen him up, and he arrives here with place claims at the very least.

11. Norway (Aidan O'Brien/Wayne Lordan)
Has proven to be a smart three-year-old this term, and shaped well to finish eighth in the Epsom Derby last month, when forming part of the pacemaking team. He bounced back to his best when third in the Irish equivalent last time out, but he looks out of his depth for win purposes and he will likely be on pacemaking duties once again.