King George Demolition By Enable

Ascot's promised match race failed to materialise on Saturday as Khalid Abdullah's epoch-defining Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) brushed aside the Ballydoyle contingent with an ease rarely seen on this exalted stage. Forcing her way into history as the first to win three renewals of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco S., the Juddmonte regina was at her exuberant best with Frankie Dettori at pains to contain her from the outset. As she sauntered behind Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) with her well-matched rider content to allow last year's G1 Irish Derby hero as many lengths as he could take in the back straight, a look at the mare and rider's body language said all that needed to be said even before the trio made the home straight. This Berkshire strip of yardage has been graced by great pugilistic encounters such as Grundy-Bustino, but on this day it served only as a procession strip for its most accomplished summer monarch. After Dettori had taken down his second pair of goggles and indulged in a lingering glance back to the struggling Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) passing two out, the 4-9 favourite was finally let down for that oh-so-familiar power surge. Yet another supreme moment denied a suitably populated attendance this year, her 5 1/2-length dismissal of Sovereign was nevertheless a defining one in the turf's annals. The fact that Japan wound up 16 1/2 lengths back despite being perfectly-tuned for the match is testament to that.

Trainer John Gosden was fully aware of the historical context of this achievement in the immediate aftermath. “I was expecting to see that, but life can be full of disappointments,” he said. “I remember Angel Penna and Pawneese, Zilber and Dahlia and to win this three times having come back from injury–she's quite some racemare. I find the responsibility quite enormous and it weighs heavy, but what a pleasure to be around a race mare like that.” An expectedly-emotional Dettori, who was joining Lester Piggott on seven King Georges, added, “It's never been done before, so now we must try the impossible and win three Arcs. My favourite girl–she's no spring chicken, but she made it look so easy. She has touched my heart.”

This 70th renewal in a year that will always be remembered was staged in the midst of a rainstorm, which was fitting as Enable first came to prominence in a much more dramatic electric version when powering to victory in the 2017 G1 Epsom Oaks, the first of 11 at this exalted level. While she will not get to the 25 secured by Winx (Aus) or probably even the 15 of Black Caviar (Aus) or 14 of Goldikova (Ire) before retirement beckons, Enable was going one better than the operation's totemic Frankel (GB) and the past dual King George heroine Dahlia on a Saturday afternoon marked forever by an outlandish show of transcendence. All lingering doubts as to where her level had got to following a shock defeat in her attempt at a third G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and more greatly-anticipated reversal at the hands of the impressive Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the July 5 G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown were banished here.

When she was here for the first time three years ago, she was running at a stone advantage due to weight-for-age over Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and co and that had shrunk to just a three-pound sex allowance 12 months ago as she upstaged Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in a tight contest. Both were staged on good-to-soft ground after significant rain and although the weather turned again to make it three wet renewals for the Juddmonte star, the late onstage of the rain meant that the surface was still on the fast side. Her winning time of 2:28.92 confirmed that these are her ideal conditions, with her previous King Georges won in 2:36.22 in 2017 and 2:32.42 last year. She is still the beneficiary of an allowance which is not only unnecessary but also unfairly profitable concerning a mare who is the physical match of any older male in training, but her dominance in this particular affair far exceeded a three-pound gift.

“She had trained beautifully for this,” Gosden added. “I was clear she wasn't tuned up properly for the Eclipse, but she's back in top order, there's no doubt about that. It was a small but elite field today. There aren't that many about once Ghaiyyath elected to go to York, and the Oaks and Derby winners live at Ballydoyle. To that extent, the best were on show. With Anthony Van Dyck not there, it was obvious Sovereign would set a solid pace, not a mad one. Given Japan has won a Juddmonte International over 10 furlongs, he was always going to ride him to beat us for toe, but it went perfectly. I'm always worried here when you get rain on quick ground, because they can lose their hind legs but thankfully that didn't happen.”

Gosden's race analysis is legendary and he went on, “William [Buick] just went and then built it, built it, built it all the way. He actually got his fractions perfect, as he has stayed on well to finish second. I think it was a great run from the second and I think we have probably stretched the stamina of the third, but I wouldn't know. They are three proper ones and she came here and did it. It has not been easy this year–as I have been clear with everyone–getting her to race-fitness, but the Eclipse really brought her on. The way she has trained, I was hoping that she would do a Montjeu–I remember him imperiously winning a King George for John Hammond. I thought there was a chance, with the way she was training, she just might do that. There was a hint of that, nothing quite so spectacular, but a hint of it because they are group one horses.”

“She has enormous mental strength. When Prince Khalid asked me last year that he was thinking about keeping her in training for one more year, I said that she adores training. She loves going out there and carries herself magnificently–she is a very proud person–and I think to that extent, she has made my job possible. I think by not putting too many miles on the clock, we have kept that freshness and exuberance and that appetite.”

Enable is likely to reappear at York's Ebor Festival next month en route to a return to ParisLongchamp, but Gosden is undecided as to which race the 6-year-old will take part in. With the G1 Yorkshire Oaks set to feature the G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a tantalising showdown could be on the cards if she is steered back in the direction she took in 2019. “York has always been on the agenda and there are two races [the G1 Juddmonte International and Yorkshire Oaks]. We'll look at both, as we did last year,” he added. “York could be really exciting, with an exceptional Oaks winner heading there as well.”

Gosden also paid tribute to the world's leading owner-breeder. “Prince Khalid is a magnificent owner and a passionate horseman,” he said. “He knows his pedigrees and it was his decision and his decision alone to keep her in training. I am lucky to have trained for him for nearly 40 years, he totally understands his horses and he clearly felt this was a filly who could do it again, with the Arc just slipping through our hands last year.”

This came 10 days after Enable's 3-year-old half-sister Portrush (GB) (Frankel {GB}) broke her maiden at Yarmouth, making a winner of every runner that Concentric (GB) (Sadler's Wells) has produced so far. Her first black-type performer was Contribution (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), who was third in the G2 Prix de Pomone and G3 Prix Allez France, while after Enable there has been the G3 Musidora S. runner-up Entitle (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Following a mating with Sea the Stars (Ire) which has produced the 2-year-old colt Derab (GB), she was understandably sent back to the stallion that was responsible for this perfect alchemy and her yearling colt by Nathaniel will be keenly-awaited by all.

The second dam is the G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Apogee (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), who is kin to the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly scorer Daring Miss (GB) (Sadler's Wells) who was also second in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Apogee's G2 Prix de Royallieu winner and G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Dance Routine (GB) is also by Sadler's Wells, while her G3 Prix Thomas Bryon winner Apsis (GB) was by Sadler's Wells' son Barathea (Ire). Dance Routine went on to produce the multiple group and grade I hero Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and is the second dam of the GII Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup scorer Projected (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and last year's G2 Prix Eugene Adam and G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano scorer Headman (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

Saturday, Ascot, Britain
KING GEORGE VI & QUEEN ELIZABETH QIPCO S.-G1, £400,000, Ascot, 7-25, 3yo/up, 11f 211yT, 2:28.92, g/f.
1–ENABLE (GB), 130, m, 6, by Nathaniel (Ire)
1st Dam: Concentric (GB) (SW & GSP-Fr, $117,776), by Sadler's Wells
2nd Dam: Apogee (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Bourbon Girl, by Ile de Bourbon
O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £226,840. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 11-14f, Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 9.5-11f, 2x Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 11-14f, Hwt. Older Horse-Eng & Fr at 11-14f, MG1SW-Fr, G1SW-Ire & GISW-US, 17-14-2-1, $14,020,645. *1/2 to Contribution (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), MGSP-Fr; and Entitle (GB) (Dansili {GB}), GSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sovereign (Ire), 133, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Devoted To You (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £86,000.
3–Japan (GB), 133, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Shastye (Ire), by Danehill. (1,300,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Masaaki Matsushima; B-Newsells Park Stud (GB); T-Aidan O'Brien. £43,040.
Margins: 5HF, 11. Odds: 0.44, 12.00, 2.50.
Scratched: Anthony Van Dyck (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.