ASCOT 15:40

All 11 ran.

Time: 2m 32.42s Closing Sectional: (3f): 39.3s (97.3%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 129%, Betfair SP 100.9%

An epic running of the King George, with stamina and willingness tested to the full in a race run at a strong pace, the field one of the strongest assembled for the summer showpiece this century, probably the deepest since Galileo won in 2001, the 2 best horses in the line-up trained by 2 masters of their profession and ridden by 2 jockeys at the top of their game, delivering a finish that will live long in the memory of anyone lucky enough to have been at Ascot, the tactical challenges facing Dettori a fascinating plot in itself, a lesser jockey far from certain to have solved them nearly so well; the form is obviously right out of the top drawer, the runner-up, giving 3 lb to the winner, producing one of the best performances in the race since Harbinger, worth remarking too, that the first 3 home were all 5-y-os, Poet's Word, in 2018, the only other of that age to win the race this century, though quite a few have been placed; the one notable absentee was sadly Sea Of Class, who had lost her life due to cancer since her promising return; finally, the race was a rare reverse for the Ballydoyle/Coolmore operation, bizarrely all 4 runners from the team wearing cheekpieces, 3 of them for the first time, tactics that ensured a strong pace and forced others into a rethink, setting the race up but falling flat on their own account.

ENABLE gained a tenth win in a row, 9 of them at Group 1 level, this a second win in this race, following 2017, on softer going for the first time since that year's Arc, a bit more in the tank had her rider asked for extra, his part in her success not to be underestimated; kept wide in mid-division from an outside draw and forced to drop further back after 3f, good headway 3f out, edged ahead 2f out, kept on well final 1f and always holding on under a hands-and-heels ride; she followed her 2017 win in this race with success in the Yorkshire Oaks, that race or the International both options next, though clearly a third Arc is very much the main aim and she may head straight there - she's a fantastic racehorse.

CRYSTAL OCEAN ran the race of his life, giving his all, producing a performance good enough to have won the vast majority of the runnings of this race this century, yet another testament to his trainer's skill with older horses; in touch, travelled well, headway 3f out, edged ahead over 2f out, headed soon after, kept on well final 1f; he surely has one more good race in him, though an attempt to get the better of the winner in the Arc (or at York, if she goes for the International) must be tempting.

WALDGEIST hadn't been seen to best advantage in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and ran a much better race this time, well clear of the rest, even though he wasn't good enough against 2 top-notch rivals, presumably set to be primed for a rematch with them in the Arc; waited with, effort over 2f out, chased leaders over 1f out, stayed on well, made little impression.

SALOUEN (IRE) is admirable in many ways, a grand servant for connections, tough and genuine, and he took his career prize money over £500,000, though never had a prayer against the principals; held up, still plenty to do home turn, headway 2f out, stayed on final 1f, never a threat.

HUNTING HORN (IRE) in first-time cheekpieces, emerged best of the Ballydoyle quartet and ran about as well as he can, not employed as a pacemaker this time, drawn immediately on the inside of Enable; raced wide, in touch, headway after 3f, ridden straight, every chance 2f out, one paced.

CHEVAL GRAND (JPN) the winner of the 2017 Japan Cup, made little impact, unproven on the ground, after 4 months off, even on his best form likely to have had his work cut out in this company; held up, effort straight, not quicken, plugged on.

NORWAY (IRE) was well held, dropping away once his pacemaking duties were fulfilled; forced pace, shaken up straight, headed over 2f out, weakened quickly.

MORANDO (FR) was out of his depth, uncomfortable with the pace and the company from an early stage; in rear, labouring before halfway.

DEFOE (IRE) ran no sort of race, never going at any stage, a most uncharacteristic effort and hopefully a one-off; raced off the pace, soon off bridle, labouring over 3f out.

ANTHONY VAN DYCK (IRE) surprisingly in first-time cheekpieces, ran a shocker, even allowing for his needing to find a fair bit of improvement against top older rivals for the first time, in trouble a long way from home, his trainer blaming the ground (nonsense, frankly, though Moore did avoid going round the inside in the later race on the round course), an adverse effect of the headgear making more sense as an excuse, though that leaves him with questions to answer next time; mid-division, ridden 4f out, lost place soon after.

MAGIC WAND (IRE) wouldn't have been up to the task, but ran poorly all the same, another in first-time cheekpieces, chasing the strong pace sealing her fate; chased leader, ridden over 3f out, weakened early in straight.