John Gosden’s Enable odds-on for Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks at York racecourse
Enable has been simply brilliant this season but she must turn up to York at the top of her game as she faces competition from the likes of Group 1 winner Nezwaah
TRAINER John Gosden is feeling the pressure ahead of Enable's bid for more Group 1 glory in Thursday's Darley Yorkshire Oaks.
Gosden's filly is odds-on to claim another top-level victory, but the Newmarket handler admits there is added pressure for her to perform.
Gosden said: "We always wanted to go to this race. It was meant to be Irish Oaks to Yorkshire Oaks. She took the Irish Oaks so much in her stride that then the King George came into play.
"When you are lucky enough to have a Golden Horn in the yard or a filly of Enable's ilk - like Taghrooda - it's a great buzz. But of course with it comes added pressures - never forget that."
Gosden also runs Royal Ascot winner Coronet who was no match for Enable when last seen in the Irish Oaks.
Sir Michael Stoute will be double-handed in his bid to claim a record-breaking 10th triumph in the race with Breeders' Cup winner Queen's Trust and multiple Listed scorer Abingdon.
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He said: "Queen's Trust hasn't had the rub of the green this year. In the Prince of Wales's, she got badly interfered with and was really coming home.
"Then the ground was too soft for her in the Nassau. But she is in good shape - she'll run a big one.
"Abingdon is solid. She's won at the track - the Galtres last year - she has been running well this year and I hope she'll be in the frame.
"I'll be happy with that. Good (ground) is no problem, but with her, she doesn't want it softer than good."
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Roger Varian's Nezwaah tries the mile-and-a-half trip for the first time on the Knavesmire.
Varian said: "She is in great form and is training well. I think Enable will be very hard to beat and there some other fillies with very good CV's in the line up.
"I think Nezwaah is the one in the field that none of us really know how far her potential will go at this level.
"She won a Listed race at Ayr in a canter then had them all well beaten in the Pretty Polly last time out.
"If there is a bit more to come from her it could be with the step up to a mile and a half. It is very exciting."
After Seventh Heaven and Found provided trainer Aidan O'Brien with a 1-2 in the race 12 months ago, the Ballydoyle master will rely on Oaks third Alluringly to give him victory number five.
O'Brien said: "We're going to give her another go over a mile and a half. She won in Gowran very nicely. That was only a few days ago, but she seems to have come out of it well."