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Gosden hails best filly he has trained after Enable's spectacular success

Enable: cut to a general 2-1 for the Arc
Enable: cut to a general 2-1 for the ArcCredit: Edward Whitaker

Enable was a stone apart on the racecard and proved a class apart on the racecourse as she joined an illustrious group of great fillies to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

John Gosden hailed her the best filly he has trained after the Oaks and Irish Oaks winner produced another dominant victory that propelled her into the superstar bracket.

Not one of the year's Derby winners turned up for the clash of the generations, but Enable might well have beaten them anyway in showing she could well be head and shoulders above the rest of her age group in the course of a four-and-a-half length win in the Qipco-sponsored feature.

Being run in a downpour – although not as torrential as when Enable had scored at Epsom – the race did not provide the conditions in which last year's winner Highland Reel could mount much of a defence.

But even his best might not have been good enough as Enable, receiving 14lb in fillies and weight-for-age allowance, coasted past him on the bend and quickened clear for an impressive success that propelled her to a best price 9-4 (from 9-2) with Betfair for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Eclipse winner Ulysses was briefly cruising on her heels, but once Frankie Dettori let her go second place was the best that could be expected for the Sir Michael Stoute representative.

Idaho ran on for third, with his big brother and Aidan O'Brien-trained stablemate Highland Reel fourth.

In landing Ascot's midsummer showpiece Enable matched some of the sport's best known fillies such as Park Top, Dahlia, Pawneese, Time Charter, Danedream and Taghrooda - another Oaks and King George winner from the Gosden stable.

"She's a wonderful filly," said Gosden. "To follow in the likes of Dahlia and Pawneese and even Taghrooda says a lot.

"I noticed Aidan's horses were staying wide, looking for the better ground and what they didn't race on yesterday, and they were all front rank together.

"Frankie knew she stayed, was on a good filly and didn't want to take back and get in trouble. She exploded early in the straight. Ulysses made a wonderful run at her but she's a very smart filly and understandably gets weight as a three-year-old against her elders.

"The King George has always been a meeting of the generations and I've always been keen on it, as I was with Nathaniel and Taghrooda. Last year Wings Of Desire was second to an older horse.

"She'd have won on good ground. She can handle anything. She's won on Tapeta, good to firm and now soft to loose."

Gosden was winning his third King George in seven years, the first with Enable's sire Nathaniel. Taghrooda went on to contest the Yorkshire Oaks and Arc, finishing second and third, and Enable is set to follow the same path.

"I think she's the best filly I've trained," continued Gosden. "Royal Heroine in America, Taghrooda and her are fabulous fillies. Then there's The Fugue and Dar Re Mi. I love great fillies to train. They're a pleasure to be around.

"The style of her winning makes her great - it's quite obvious she wants to race. She just want things to go her way and takes the race by the horns."

He added: "The plan has very much been the Yorkshire Oaks. This popped up in between. York's now where we want to go, and then freshen up and see where we are in terms of the Arc."

Gosden praised the dedication of Dettori, who after fracturing a shoulder last month fought his way back to fitness and dieted in order to ride at 8st 7lb.

"The days of not eating have paid off," said Dettori. "I could do with a good burger now.

"She goes on any ground and now she has proved she can match up with older horses, which is what I thought. She's very good.

"The doctor said it would take three months to return and I came back in five weeks. A horse like this is the key. You need something to push you, and she's worth it."


If you were interested in this, you might like:

Frankie Dettori on Enable's King George taking win

Jury - three Racing Post experts on whether Enable will win the Arc

Sir Michael Stoute delighted with Ulysses's second-place finish


Published on 29 July 2017inBritain

Last updated 12:45, 30 July 2017

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