Unstoppable KING GEORGE No.3 FOR THE GREAT ENABLE
ENABLE was back to her breathtaking best with a King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes breeze that took her to racing immortality.
The John Gosden-trained mare’s victories in the 2017 and 2019 editions of the QIPCO-sponsored Ascot feature saw her ranked alongside Dahlia (1973 and 1974) and Swain (1997 and 1998).
But awesome Enable claimed the outright record to banish the memory of defeats in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and Coral-Eclipse on her last two starts.
Frankie Dettori’s mount went off the 4-9 favourite against the Aidan O’Brien pair Sovereign and Japan after Anthony Van Dyck, declared to line-up with his Ballydoyle stablemates on Thursday, was pulled out yesterday morning.
Will Buick sent 12-1 Sovereign into a clear lead, but, in common with Ryan Moore on 5-2 second choice Japan, was imploring his mount for more on the home turn.
In strict contrast, Dettori between the pair was motionless aboard Enable, who breezed to the front at the furlong pole to humble her male rivals, headed by the outsider, by five-and-a-half lengths.
“She was quite imperious today,” said a proud Gosden, saluting Enable’s 11th success at the highest level. “It’s a pleasure to see when Frankie’s looking round.
“She won it very nicely – I think he only gave her one flick. Some great horses have won this twice, but to do it three times? She’s quite some race mare.
“I was clear she wasn’t turned up for the Eclipse, but she was back in top order. There’s no doubt about that. I was expecting to see that, but life can be full of disappointments!”
Dettori equalled his idol Lester Piggott’s best of seven King George wins, and the Italian roared: “She’s unbelievable. She’s no spring chicken at six, so to put up a performance like that is great.
“Three King Georges has never been done before – and now we’re going to try the impossible and win three Arcs.
“I love her so much, she has taken me to emotional heights that no other horse has and it’s very sad that I’m only going to have her for another couple of months.”
Bookmakers cut Enable, overpowered by Waldgeist in the ParisLongchamp mud last October, to 5-2 market leader to become the first horse to land Europe’s middledistance championship three times.
The daughter of Nathaniel, who scored at Chantilly in 2017 and Paris 12 months later, will warm up for the Arc – her career farewell – at York next month.
Gosden added: “I’d like to get a race into her before the Arc. I don’t want to just train her at home from the end of July until the first week of October. She knows those gallops backwards, and would get bored.”
ASPETAR will seek a first top-level victory in Britain after causing an upset in the Group 2
Sky Bet York Stakes on the Knavesmire.
Aspetar (above) went off an 11-1 shot, and won by a length and a half.
Winning jockey Jason Watson said: “It’s a lovely stepping stone for him.”
Now Roger Charlton’s five-year-old will be aimed at the Juddmonte International at York on August 19.