Enable set to go it alone against Ballydoyle trio in bid for King George history

Superstar mare Enable will have to do it all on her own against a three-strong Ballydoyle attack if she is to make history in the Qipco King George VI & Queen Elizabeth at Ascot on Saturday after trainer John Gosden all but ruled out stablemate Fanny Logan.

Aidan O'Brien revealed last night that he is set to run Japan and last year's English and Irish Derby winners Anthony Van Dyck and Sovereign, with Magical - who had been a 4-1 shot for the King George - Magic Wand and Sir Dragonet waiting for Sunday's Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.

Fanny Logan, who had been a 16-1 shot, is set to tackle the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood instead, leaving Enable as one of only four runners alongside the O'Brien trio in one of the smallest King George line-ups in history.

Enable and Frankie Dettori head to the Al Bahathri this morning

Gosden expects the darling of British racing to strip fitter for her second to Ghaiyyath this month in the Coral-Eclipse, citing her age as a factor in a struggle to get the dual King George winner ready for her seasonal debut.

He said: "We've been pleased with Enable's work on the Limekilns round gallop since the Eclipse. She breezed this morning on the Al Bahathri under Frankie Dettori who was very happy with her.

"I was very clear with everyone before Sandown that she had found it difficult to get to racing fitness since she is now a six-year-old mare. She is a big powerful lady and certainly not of the neater, lighter-framed, type. She ran very well in the Eclipse and the race has had the desired effect of bringing her on."

Fanny Logan: likely to head to GoodwoodCredit: Edward Whitaker

Both Enable and Hardwicke Stakes winner Fanny Logan sailed through their exercises on the gallops yesterday morning, but the latter is expected to be rerouted to the Nassau next Thursday.

Gosden added: "She is also entered at Ascot but is more likely to head to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood next week."

Enable bids to become the first horse to win the King George three times and is 4-7 to do so with most firms. The omens are good as the last six-year-old to oblige was Swain in 1998, who was also ridden by Dettori, and the Italian will equal Lester Piggott's record of seven wins in the contest if the pair prove successful.

The fact no three-year-olds line up at Ascot this year is nothing new but it was on the cards as soon as racing shut down, Gosden added.

He said: "We've had many King Georges before that fielded older horses only. It is therefore inevitable with the loss of April and May to bring forward the three-year-olds and with both the Derby and Oaks winners from the same stable, this was always going to be a small field."

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