John Gosden insists Enable is ‘back in the zone’ in bid to secure record third King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes victory at Ascot
- Trainer Gosden has not seen a drop in performance from the six-year-old mare
- She faces Anthony Van Dyck, Japan and Sovereign, all trained by Aidan O’Brien
- It is the smallest field since 1964 for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
John Gosden says Enable is ‘back in the zone’ as she bids to become the first three-time winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
The trainer believes Sandown’s Eclipse Stakes, in which Frankie Dettori’s mount was beaten by Ghaiyyath earlier this month, was the perfect platform for Saturday’s race and sees no drop in the competitive spirit that has delivered 13 wins for the six-year-old mare owned by Khalid Abdullah, including two Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe.
Gosden said: ‘I did not expect her to win the Eclipse. She’s a six-year-old racemare and not that wild, exuberant three-year-old race filly who could just do anything. She did well to finish second.
Enable faces three Aidan O’Brien-trained rivals in her bid for a record third King George win
‘I am looking forward to running her because she is up for it now. She behaved beautifully at Sandown when she was still not in the zone. I feel she is back in it.’
Enable, the 1-2 favourite, faces only three rivals: Anthony Van Dyck, Japan and Sovereign, all trained by Aidan O’Brien.
Meanwhile, Gosden says Stradivarius faces the ‘greatest challenge of his life’ when he attempts to become the first horse to win the Goodwood Cup four times on Tuesday.
The three-time Ascot Gold Cup winner must concede 15lb to O’Brien’s Irish Derby winner Santiago in the two-mile Group One race.