King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (Group 1)

ENABLE seems destined to keep the keepers of racing’s record books busy in the coming months. John Gosden’s six-year-old daughter of Nathaniel added the latest chapter to her own story by slamming Sovereign and Japan to win a record third King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes under Frankie Dettori, the 4/9 favourite barely off the bridle to win by five and a half lengths and 11 lengths at Ascot.

Enable’s win was also a record-equalling success for Dettori, who joins Lester Piggott with seven wins in the prestigious contest. Sovereign (Aidan O’Brien/William Buick) made the running at a strong pace, but Enable had no trouble keeping tabs on him, and took the lead travelling well a furlong and a half from home.

Sovereign’s stablemate Japan was never able to get competitive and trailed in last in the three-runner field runder Ryan Moore.

John Gosden said afterwards: “I told Frankie to ride her with a lot of confidence and travel for a long as he could, and she did. She is back in top order, no doubt about that. We have been thrilled with her at home. I was expecting to see that, but life can be full of disappointments.

“It has not been easy this year getting her to race fitness, but the Eclipse really brought her on. She has enormous mental strength. You have some horses who just want to please and she just loves going out.

“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. If she doesn’t go out first lot, she gets annoyed that she has to wait. She carries herself magnificently and I think to that extent, she has made my job possible.

“If she wasn’t enjoying it, we would pull stumps immediately. Prince Khalid is a magnificent owner and a passionate horseman. He knows his pedigrees and it was his decision and his decision alone to keep her in training.”

On the prospect of going to York for the International or Yorkshire Oaks, he added: “I would just like to get a race or racecourse gallop into her before the Arc. I don’t want to go from the end of July until the first week of October just training her at home – she knows those gallops backwards and she would get bored.”

Unbelievable

Frankie Dettori paid tribute to a mare he clearly holds in great esteem: “She is unbelievable. Three King Georges has never been done before and now we have to try the impossible and go for three Arcs. What a horse, what can you say? I love her so much. She has taken me to emotional heights no other horse has. She has touched my heart.

“People get attached to her, no more than me and Imran, who looks after her. We all love her dearly and she never lets us down. She has got this amazing presence and these massive, big ears. She walks with her chest sticking out and you can see it – she gives those vibes to everyone and people are attached to her for that reason. We really need to cherish these special horses.”