John Gosden hoping for clean race after Enable's smooth journey to third Arc

By now John Gosden has said all there is to say – and nothing he has said in any way diminishes hopes that Enable can enter immortality as the first triple winner of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The latest update came after Britain's magnificent mare had completed a now annual journey to Chantilly, the scene of her first Arc triumph and once again the place selected to provide bed and lodgings in advance of a race that has been her number-one aim since it was announced Khalid Abdullah would keep her in training as a five-year-old.

That thrilling news was made public on November 19, 43 days after Enable had become the eighth dual winner of the sport's most coveted test. Since that decision was taken, Gosden and his team have been meticulously preparing their stable star for October's first Sunday. To their great relief, and ours as well, the preparation has this time been smooth.

That was not the case last year. A spring setback meant Enable's return to action was delayed until Kempton's September Stakes, not long after which she was laid low by a temperature that interrupted the crucial final stages of her build-up. It also meant she was far from fully fit for the defence of a crown that remained hers, but only just, with the ill-fated Sea Of Class so nearly overhauling her in the closing strides.

From there Enable went on to win the Breeders' Cup Turf. That ended a fraught but fabulous 2018. As 2019 began there was talk of tilts at the Coronation Cup or Prince of Wales's Stakes, but instead Gosden opted to play the patient card. He waited for the Coral-Eclipse. She won it and then won the Qipco-backed King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Darley Yorkshire Oaks.

With those prizes safely locked away, Gosden has trained Enable to win 13 of her 14 races, ten of those successes having come at Group 1 level. Nobody, however, is more aware than Gosden that what comes next is bigger than anything that has gone before. So far, thankfully, so good.

"Enable arrived at Chantilly this morning and she travelled over fine," said Gosden on Saturday. "We've been happy with her preparation, which has been smoother than last year.

"We have plenty of respect for the opposition and hopefully with 12 runners we will have a clean race. She is versatile as regards tactics – I'll leave that to Frankie."

Did you know you can bet via the Racing Post mobile app/website? Simply sign in with your favourite bookmaker via the Accounts button and then bet direct from our racecards