King George: Enable faces three Ascot rivals trained by Aidan O’Brien

Enable will bid for an unprecedented third Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victory later this year Date: Saturday 25 July Time: 15:35 BST Venue: Ascot Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 live

Enable will face just two rivals when she bids for a record third King George win on Saturday after the late withdrawal of Anthony Van Dyck.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien made the decision after checking the horse’s blood tests, and will only run Japan and Sovereign against the mare.

Enable, the mount of Frankie Dettori for trainer John Gosden, is seeking a third triumph in the Ascot race.

O’Brien’s first jockey Ryan Moore rides Japan, with William Buick on Sovereign.

Before the withdrawal, O’Brien had dismissed suggestions he might use team tactics in the race.

“We are always very happy when any of them win,” said O’Brien on Friday.

“It never matters what price they are or who’s riding them. I don’t want to speak about that because it’s all nonsense.”

It is the smallest field in the history of a contest traditionally considered a summer highlight of British racing.

“It is going to be tactical. We go in with a blank canvas,” said Gosden.

“Let’s see how it pans out and what the Ballydoyle [O’Brien] horses do. I will leave that to the jockey.”

Japan, winner of the Juddmonte International Stakes last season, has been fourth and third on two runs this season but O’Brien expects significant improvement on Saturday.

“No-one knows what is going to happen. You have Enable and Frankie and Japan and Ryan. It will be some spectacle to watch,” added O’Brien.

Asked if he was concerned the six-year-old mare Enable could be unsettled by her opponents’ riding tactics, Gosden said on Thursday: “I would have thought we are above all that now.

“These horses are ridden by gentlemen who have ridden for me a lot. I don’t think there will be anything sinister.”

After 12 successive wins, Enable was runner-up in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October when seeking a record third triumph in that race and has been kept in training at the age of six for another attempt at the French showpiece.

Gosden has admitted she was only about 85% fit when returning at Sandown last month, finishing second to Ghaiyyath in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes.

Prize money has been slashed as the sport feels the impact of the Covid-19 crisis – down to £400,000 from the original £1.25m.

Approximate odds

4-9 Enable, 3-1 Japan, 14-1 Sovereign