Dual Oaks winner Enable new favourite with Ascot bid likely

Enable on Monday ousted Highland Reel as the new favourite for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes after John Gosden pointed his double Oaks heroine at Saturday's Ascot showpiece.

Gosden reported the filly to have emerged from her Irish Oaks success in fine shape and looking ready to roll again just a fortnight on from that stunning win under Frankie Dettori at the Curragh.

The two-time champion trainer left Enable, a five-and-a-half-length winner of the Irish Oaks on July 15, among 16 for Saturday's Group 1, with a final decision about her participation to be made on Wednesday.

Enable was available at as big as 6-1 on Sunday but on Monday that price had disappeared with 2-1 the biggest show on offer about her landing Ascot's £1,150,000 showpiece for which Highland Reel had been the long-time favourite.

Enable's weight allowances as a three-year-old filly mean she would carry a stone less than Prince of Wales's winner Highland Reel, who is chasing his seventh Group 1 win for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

If Enable takes her chance Gosden will be hoping she can replicate the yard's success with fellow three-year-old filly Taghrooda, who won the Oaks at Epsom and King George in 2014.

Gosden said on Monday: "Enable will be left in the King George at the five-day stage and a decision will be taken on Wednesday about her participation at Ascot.

"She cantered this morning and seems fine in herself and, as she flew to Ireland and back, she didn't take that much out of herself.

"As the Yorkshire Oaks is that much later this year it makes sense to have a look at Ascot while she's in such good form."

Conditions to suit

Gosden has no worries about Enable's ability to handle ease in the ground, which she has yet to encounter in five starts, while the two-week gap between her Irish Oaks victory and the Ascot summer highlight is also of no concern.

He said: "We think two weeks [from the Curragh to Ascot] will be enough as long as we're happy with her, although everything has to be confirmed with the owner. She's progressive and has done nothing but improve through her races.

"She goes pretty well on most ground and some give in the ground would not trouble her at all."

Frankie Dettori is a great fan of Enable, having admitted he returned from injury slightly prematurely to partner her at the Curragh in the Irish Oaks, and Gosden added on At The Races: "On the plane on the way back from the Curragh Frankie was pretty excited about her."

Paul Binfield, spokesman for Paddy Power, who on Monday were 13-8 about Enable and 5-2 Highland Reel, said: "We heard a couple of rumours on Sunday she might still run. After putting her back in the market at 4-1 we laid her immediately and cut her because if she runs she'll probably go off favourite as the ground would probably suit her more than Highland Reel."

Dave Stevens, of Coral, who on Monday cut the dual Classic winner to 7-4, said: "With Enable very much in the running to replicate Taghrooda's success, we make her favourite to beat the older colts, with the weight allowance in her favour."

Frankie Dettori performs a flying dismount after Enable wins the Irish OaksCredit: Patrick McCann

Gosden also left Sheema Classic scorer Jack Hobbs among the five-day confirmations. Third in the Champion Stakes at the track for the last two years, the five-year-old is a general 6-1 shot and as short as 5-1.

Jack Hobbs disappointed when finishing last of eight in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot last month but Gosden feels ease in conditions on Saturday will prove more to his liking.

The trainer added: "Jack Hobbs will also be left in – the ground is looking like it will be on the easy side which will suit him better than at Royal Ascot where it was riding very fast."

Record of fillies and mares in the King George since 2000

2000 Shiva (5yo) 7th, 14-1
2002 Aquarelliste (4yo) 4th, 8-1
2004 Vallee Enchantee (4yo) 5th, 6-1
2005 Eswarah (3yo) 8th, 9-1
2009 Look Here (4yo) 6th, 7-1
2010 Daryakana (4yo) 4th, 14-1
2012 Danedream (4yo) 1st, 9-1
2014 Taghrooda (3yo) 1st, 7-2
2015 Madame Chiang (4yo) 4th, 8-1

The going at Ascot is currently soft, with 18mm of rain having fallen at the track since Friday. Showers are forecast at the Berkshire track on Wednesday, with possible occasional rainfall later in the week, but clerk of the course Chris Stickels believes it is the amount of rain that arrives on Wednesday that will determine Saturday's going.

He said on Monday: "We're soft and have had just over 18mm since Friday, but 17mm of that came yesterday. We've not had much today and it's due to be largely dry tomorrow, but there's a rain band on Wednesday. Thursday to Saturday looks largely dry with possible occasional showers, but it really all depends on what happens on Wednesday.

"It won't be fast, but it's a bit difficult to predict as we're expecting anything from 3mm to 7mm, that's the most likely scenario, but there's a 30 per cent chance we could get more than that. If we got 3mm there'd be the possibility of good ground come Saturday, so we just don't know until we see what we get come Wednesday."

One horse who will not be lining up is Dartmouth, with Sir Michael Stoute ruling out the five-year-old, owned by The Queen, on Monday morning. Stoute has Eclipse winner Ulysses still engaged in a sparkling-looking race also set to feature Hardwicke winner Idaho.

Dartmouth was a general 20-1 chance in the ante-post market.

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King George greats:

1992: St Jovite routs Ascot rivals

1997: Battling Swain grinds it out