Enable eyes Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

A large crowd turned up at York today with one main aim, to see the superstar filly Enable extend her winning sequence and add another Group One to her growing tally. And the John Gosden trained daughter of Nathaniel didn’t disappoint, winning by five lengths from stable companion Coronet.

With no obvious front runner in the race jockey Frankie Dettori jumped out smartly from teh stalls and made his own running in a bold move. The filly lobbed along in front comfortably and then Dettori started to turn on the heat after they’d turned for home.

It looked for a second as though the Sir Michael Stoute trained Breeders Cup winner Queen’s Trust might make a race of it but a few shakes of the reins was all it took for Dettori to galvanise Enable and she quickly went clear.

The performance drew superlatives from both trainer and jockey. Dettori described her as ‘a tool’ but said she’d need to win an Arc (for which she is now even money favourite) to be one of the best he’s ridden. He added “She was floating but her floating was five lengths better than the rest!”

The trainer, normally guarded with his praise, described her as ‘exceptional’. “She got a bit lonely but she’s proved she can do it from the front. She’ll go to the Arc. She’s the best filly I’ve ever trained over a mile and a half”, said Gosden in the unsaddling enclosure.

All roads now lead to Chantilly and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for Enable who will be hoping to go two places better than Taghrooda, also trained by Gosden and also an Oaks/King George winner who went on to finish third in the Arc.