As easy as 1-2-3! Brilliant Enable claims historic third King George triumph

Enable produced another sparkling display to claim an unprecedented third victory in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes.

John Gosden's superstar mare was narrowly denied in her bid to become the first three-time winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe last season - and has been kept in training as a six-year-old with the primary objective of putting that right in October.

However, she first had the chance to make history at Ascot, having become only the third dual King George winner - after Dahlia (1973 and 1974) and Swain (1997 and 1998) - when getting the better of a pulsating duel with Crystal Ocean 12 months ago.

After delighting connections when finishing second behind Ghaiyyath on her reappearance in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown three weeks ago, Enable was the 4-9 favourite to claim her third King George - facing just two opponents in Aidan O'Brien's pair of Japan and Sovereign.

Ridden by William Buick, last year's surprise Irish Derby winner Sovereign cut out much of the running - opening up a significant advantage at one stage over Enable and Frankie Dettori and Japan under Ryan Moore.

However, it was clear rounding the home turn that the leader's petrol tank was beginning to empty - while Dettori remained motionless aboard Enable and was even able to take a nonchalant look over his shoulder to see Japan toiling in behind.

Once given her head, Enable strode clear magnificently and passed the post five and a half lengths clear under her jubilant rider, with Sovereign filling the runner-up spot.

Gosden said: "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.

"Her work had been very good leading into this, and she was quite imperious today.

"It's a pleasure to see when Frankie's looking round, but if you do it too much you might fall off! She won it very nicely - I think he only gave her one flick.

"As they get older, they get more professional and think once they are two or three lengths clear they can ease up, but you never know if another horse is coming."

He added: "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.

"She trained really well for this. Last year Crystal Ocean was a hard nut to crack, and there was a certain Waldgeist in third, and we know what he went and did (won the Arc)

"On the other hand, if she had won that day in France she wouldn't have been here today.

"I'd been very open that I let her come in her own time this year - she's highly intelligent, she doesn't need me to ask her too much, she brought herself here in top nick today.

"Between her training herself and Frankie training her, sometimes there's not much room for me!"

Enable looks likely to make her next appearance at next month's Ebor Festival at York, before her bid for more history in Paris.

Gosden said: "York has always been on the agenda - there are two races (Juddmonte International and Yorkshire Oaks), and we'll look at both, as we did last year.

"York could be really exciting, with an exceptional Oaks winner (Love) heading there as well."

Dettori performed his trademark flying dismount in the winner's enclosure - and was visibly emotional as he reflected on the victory.

He said: "Since the Eclipse, she has really turned a corner. Her work has been good, and her enthusiasm has been back.

"Quietly I was expecting a good performance, but I wasn't expecting her to win by five lengths against the likes of Japan.

"I'm very emotional, because I've only got her maybe for another two months, so every race is special - and I'm really going to enjoy this one.

"It's three King Georges for her, and I've joined Lester Piggott with seven wins."

Age: 6. Born: February 12, 2014

Colour: Bay. Sire:Nathaniel. Dam: Concentric

Breeder: Juddmonte Farms. Owner: Prince Khalid Abdullah

Trainer: John Gosden, aged 69, based in Newmarket. He has trained more than 3,000 winners

Jockey: Frankie Dettori, aged 49. He has ridden more than 3,000 winners in Great Britain

Races: 17. Wins: 14.

Group 1 wins: 11 – Investec Oaks (2017), Darley Irish Oaks (2017), King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (2017 & 2019, 2020) Darley Yorkshire Oaks (2017 & 2019), Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triompge (2017 & 2018), Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (2018), Coral-Eclipse (2019),

QIPCO British Champions Series wins: 7

Overall form figures: 1-3111111-111-1112-2

Prize-money won: £10,692,563 – making her one of the highest equine performers there has been

Official rating: 128 – the highest-rated horse in the world

Countries she’s won in: 4 – England (9 wins), Ireland, France (2) and America

Jockeys who have ridden her: 3 - Frankie Dettori (14 times), Robert Havlin, William Buick

Different racecourses won at: 11. Miles raced: 23 miles and a furlong

The King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes was first run in 1951 and Enable is seeking to become the first three-time winner of the race. She is already one of only three dual winners after Dahlia (1973-74) and _Swain _(1997-98).

Enable has more than done her bit to keep the family flag flying in the summer showpiece.

Her sire, Nathaniel, won the 2011 renewal and was beaten a nose by Danedream the following year. Her grandsire, Galileo, scooped the 2001 running, while Galileo’s own sire, Sadler’s Wells, was runner-up in the 1984 running when beaten a head by Teenoso.

Concentric, the dam of Enable, was herself a daughter of Sadler’s Wells and her dam was Apogee, who’s grandsire Ile De Bourbon, scooped the 1978 King George. Ile De Bourbon? His sire was none other than Nijinsky, the 1970 winner.

2017: 10 ran. Going: good to soft. Odds: 5/4 fav

Enable had won the Irish Oaks just a fortnight earlier but came out of the race so well that a swift return to action was quickly confirmed.

Frankie Dettori restricted himself to a diet of fish and water in the build-up as she had only 8st 7lb to carry but his sacrifices proved well worthwhile as the filly hit the front two out before powering four-and-a-half lengths clear of Ulysses in rain-softened ground.

Idaho was third with his year-older brother, Highland Reel, occupying fourth.

2019: 11 ran. Going: good to soft. Odds: 8/15 fav

Enable was unable to defend her crown in in 2018 because of injury but regained it in fabulous fashion – edging out Crystal Ocean, at the time the highest-rated horse in the world, by a neck after the pair had a great tussle for much of the final two furlongs.

Dettori did not panic at the start, when caught wider than ideal in rear, or at the finish, when he did not resort to the whip.

Waldgeist, from France, kept on well to finis third and would gain his revenge in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in the autumn to thwart Enable winning that race for a record third time.

1 Enable became the first triple winner of the race

2 She became only the second six-year-old to win. The other was Swain in 1998

3 She now has 11 Group 1 victories on her CV – edging her past the mighty Enable and leaving her just one behind 1970s legend Brigadier Gerard

4 She joins a select group to have won at least one Group 1 race in four successive seasons

5 Gave Frankie Dettori a record-equalling seventh success in the race after Lammtarra (1995), Swain (1997 & 1998), Doyen (2004), Enable (2017 & 2019). Lester Piggott also rode the winner on seven occasions.

6 John Gosden’s fifth winner in the race since 2011 after Nathaniel (2011), Taghrooda (2014), Enable (2017 & 2019). His father, Towser, won with Aggressor, who defeated a top-class filly in Petit Etoile in 1960

7 Give Gosden a second multiple Group 1 Ascot winner in the space of a few weeks. Only last month, his Stradivarius won the Gold Cup for a third successive year.

8 Give Prince Khalid Abdullah’s a fourth win in the race. He also won with Dancing Brave in 1986.

Enable has now either beaten or, in defeat, finished ahead of 55 horses who were Group One/Grade One winners at the time, or who have subsequently gone on to win at. the highest level. Sovereign joins the list!

Here’s the full list: 1 Anthony Van Dyck. 2 Arklow. 3 Benbatl. 4 Blast Onepiece. 5 Brametot. 6 Capri. 7 Channel Maker. 8 Cheval Grand. 9 Cloth Of Stars. 10 Coronet. 11 Crystal Ocean. 12 Danceteria. 13 Defoe. 14 Deirdre. 15 Desert Encounter. 16 Dschings Secret. 17. Fieremen. 18. French King. 19 Ghaiyyath. 20 Glorious Empire. 21 Hi Happy. 22 Highland Reel. 23 Intricately. 24 Iquitos. 25 Jack Hobbs. 26 Japan. 27 Kew Gardens. 28 Kiseki. 29 Magical. 30 Magic Wand. 31 My Dream Boat. 32 Mustashry. 33. Nezwaah. 34 Order Of St George. 35 Quarteto de Pardos. 36 Queen’s Trust. 37 Rhododendron. 38 Robert Bruce. 39 Sadler’s Joy. 40 Sea Of Class. 41 Seventh Heaven. 42 Silverwave. 43 Sixties Song. 44 Sobetsu. 45 Sottsass. 46 Sovereign. 47 Statono Diamond. 48 Study Of Man. 49 Talismanic. 50 Ulysses. 51 Waldgeist. 52 Way To Paris. 53 Winter. 54 Zabeel Prince. 55 Zarak.

Serial Irish champion trainer Aidan O’Brien has broken numerous records and only last month he became the first trainer responsible for eight Investec Derby winners. But he has yet to find a horse able to finish ahead of Enable.

O’Brien has had 34 runners in races that Enable has contested but she has fended them all off.

In total, the master of Ballydoyle has run 20 different horses against her – several clashing with her on a regular basis. Magical has run five time s against Enable, while Alluringly and Hunting Horn crossed swords with her on four occasions.

O’Brien ran five against Enable in the 2017 and 2018 renewals of the Arc. And in last year’s King George he had four representatives.

The full list of 20 O’Brien horses (12 of them winners at the highest level) to run against Enable have been: Alluringly. Rhododendon. Pocketfullofdreams. Rain Goddess. Idaho. Highland Reel. Order Of St George. Winter. Seventh Heaven. Capri. Kew Gardens. Nelson. Magical. Hunting Horn. Anthony Van Dyck. Magic Wand. South Sea Pearl. Japan, Sovereign.