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Defending champion Enable carries a giant weight of expectation when she seeks to achieve the rare feat of winning a second consecutive Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Sunday.

Her dominant victory last year over 17 rivals took place at Chantilly during Longchamp's redevelopement.

Europe's greatest all-aged thoroughbred race returns to the Bois de Boulogne this year with a new grandstand and a fresh name - ParisLongchamp.

Enable, a five-time G1 winner, looks to have two serious rivals in the shape of the brilliant three-year-old filly Sea Of Class and four-year-old colt Waldgeist.

Each should be suited by the anticipated quick ground.

A setback earlier this year resulted in a major rethink regarding Enable's career as she was kept away from any serious work for four months.

Her trainer John Gosden, leading the British trainer championship this year, said Enable was frustrated by her time off.

“She was getting so angry and frustrated, especially seeing other horses going out to exercise,” Gosden said.

She reappeared last month in the G3 September Stakes on the all-weather at Kempton Park over a mile and a half and it was business as usual with Enable mowing down multiple Group winner Crystal Ocean under her regular rider Frankie Dettori.

“That was awesome. I wasn't sure how fit she was but she felt as good as ever. Bring on the Arc!” Dettori declared after the race.

Gosden said Enable was “only 80% fit, 85% at a push” for her resumption and she has since turned in some sparkling work.

Enable is owned by 81-year-old Prince Khalid Abdullah, whose amazing record as an owner/breeder includes five Arc wins.

James Doyle's mount Sea Of Class is owned by the Hong Kong-based Tsui family and they also boast a tremendous Arc record.

Urban Sea won the 1993 Arc in the silks of David Tsui, with her son Sea The Stars, the sire of Sea Of Class, winning in 2009 for the family.

Sea Of Class made her debut in April but her ascent has been swift and dramatic. She has won G1 races at her last two starts, delivering a thrilling last-to-first victory in the Irish Oaks at The Curragh in July and then surging late again for a decisive triumph in the Yorkshire Oaks at York in August.

Both those races were over the Arc distance but she does take on the colts for the first time on Sunday.

Waldgeist is also a late closer who has won his last four starts.

He looks set for a huge Arc run after thrashing his rivals in the G2 Prix Foy over the Arc course and distance last month under Pierre-Charles Boudot.

Waldgeist's trainer Andre Fabre has won the Arc a record seven times but it’s been 12 years since his last success with Rail Link.

A low gate is expected to be an asset as of the last 13 Arcs run on good or faster ground 11 winners have come from stall six or lower.

This year the rails bias could be stronger with six metres of extra space due to the removal of the false rail entering the straight.