Dual Oaks Winner Enable Steps Up in King George

A powerhouse renewal of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Sponsored by QIPCO (G1) is on tap July 29 at Ascot, with dual Oaks winner Enable set to take on on older rivals Highland Reel, his full brother Idaho, Jack Hobbs, and Ulysses.

 

The 1 1/2-mile test is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race, which offers a guaranteed spot in the Nov. 4 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Del Mar.

 

The antepost betting has swung strongly during the days leading up to the race from Highland Reel to Enable. The Juddmonte Farms homebred daughter of Nathaniel, out of the Sadler's Wells mare Concentric, has won three straight races—the Cheshire Oaks at York, the Investec Oaks (G1) at Epsom, and the Darley Irish Oaks (G1) at the Curragh. The latter two victories were by five and 5 1/2 lengths, respectively.

 

Frankie Dettori rode Enable in both Oaks victories and said early in the week he was on a crash diet to take full advantage of the filly's break in the weights—a full stone, or 14 pounds, from Highland Reel.

 

The rivals this time are considerably more accomplished than Enable's vanquished 3-year-old filly compatriots, however.

 

The globetrotting Highland Reel has reeled off six group 1 victories from Hong Kong to Santa Anita Park to Arlington International Racecourse to Epsom. In his last two starts, the 2016 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) winner has captured the Investec Coronation Cup (G1) and the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1), the latter coming during the Royal Ascot meeting. The 5-year-old son of Galileo, out of the Danehill mare Hveger, also won the King George last year.

 

"It's a very prestigious race, the King George, and I think because it's a tough race sometimes 3-year olds haven't gone there," Highland Reel's trainer, Aidan O'Brien, said at an early-week preview. "But that's what makes it as good as it is—is when those really special 3-year olds come along."

 

Highland Reel's 4-year-old full brother, Idaho, showed promise of being the heir apparent for Coolmore and O'Brien after he took a tough edition of the Hardwicke Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot in his last start.

 

Ulysses, a Flaxman Stables homebred by Galileo from the Kingmambo mare Light Shift, enters the King George just three weeks after defeating Barney Roy by a nose in the Coral Eclipse (G1) at Sandown. The 4-year-old finished fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf.

 

Jack Hobbs, the most highly regarded of four entered by Godolphin, won this year's Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) at Meydan Racecourse and the 2015 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1), but was most recently eighth and last in the June 21 Prince of Wales's Stakes.