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ENABLE heads the betting for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes at Ascot on Saturday July 25 which she bids to win for the third time.

Enable won the mid-summer showpiece in 2017 and 2019 and this season returned with a two and a quarter length second place to Ghaiyyath in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on June 6.

Connections appeared satisfied with the run, her first since narrowly failing to secure a third successive win in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe when headed by Waldgeist near the finish at Longchamp in October.

An element of uncertainty in potential opponents at Ascot remains as entries for the mile and a half Group 1 contest will not be taken until six days before the race, which this year carries prizemoney of £400,000. Ascot has revealed that entry fees, taken at the six-day stage, will be set at the pre-Covid standard 1.25%

Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot, said:

“With the deeply appreciated support of our official partner and race sponsor, QIPCO, we will be running this year’s King George at £400,000.

“In doing so, we are maintaining our policy of contributing significant executive contribution to our flagship races which began with £1.7 million being added across the Royal Ascot programme. 

“We are paying executive contribution for all Pattern and Listed races, including approximately £250,000 for the King George after estimated owners’ stakes.

“We have maintained entry fees at 1.25% for the King George, rather than increasing to the new 2% limit for Group One races. This mirrors the policy for Royal Ascot where entry fees were maintained at the 2019 percentages at all race levels.

“We wish to make entering as appealing as possible for owners across the spectrum at a time where, unavoidably, prize money nationally is having to be reduced significantly without paying crowds. In our case, 70% of annual income comes from racegoers’ attendance and spend. All Ascot races will have previous standard entry fees in 2020.

“We are very much looking forward to QIPCO King George Diamond Weekend and Enable’s hat trick bid.”

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