Enable claims hard to fault but Gosden will be wary

Enable, arguably the season’s best three-year-old, can win the Darley Yorkshire Oaks today, but trainer John Gosden will be wary that in recent years he has brought Classic winners Golden Horn and Taghrooda to the Knavesmire and seen both beaten at long odds-on.

Golden Horn, who went down by a head to 50-1 shot Arabian Queen in the International, went on to win the Arc while Taghrooda, runnerup to Tapestry in the Yorkshire Oaks, ran one of her best races when third in the same Paris race.

But everything, including yesterday’s 50mm of rain at York, has fallen into Enable’s favour. She has proved she handles soft going in the King George, and as much as yesterday’s rain will help her it will have worked against her two principal elder rivals, Nezwaah and Queen’s Trust, who are better on fast ground.

Only if Enable is feeling the effects of the quick turnaround of three Group One races in 40 days can I see her being beaten.

However, after Cracksman’s victory in the Great Voltigeur yesterday, Gosden reported Enable to be in sparkling form at home. “She’s in great nick and full of it,” he said.

The Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (2.25) looks fascinating. The likely favourite Madeline, and Threading and Special Purpose have all won on ground with ease in it, but it is Roger Varian’s Madeline, fifth in the Albany before winning a Listed contest at Newbury impressively in a fast time, who gets the vote.