5-STAR FRANKIE
Too easy, says Dettori as filly Enable romps in
FRANKIE DETTORI labelled Enable ‘the best filly I have ever ridden’ after she made the Italian the most successful jockey in the 97-year history of the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe.
It was the 46-year-old’s fifth win on his 29th ride in Europe’s most prestigious all-age middle-distance contest and his second in three years for trainer John Gosden after Golden Horn in 2015.
The two and a half lengths that 4-5 favourite Enable beat 20-1 runner-up Cloth of Stars here yesterday with Michael Stoute’s Ulysses back in third was not the longest distance Dettori has won an Arc.
But he has never had an easier success in what should be one of the hardest races in the world to win.
The chances of Dettori being further able to add to his tally look very bright with trainer John Gosden saying there was a chance the filly who races in the colours of owner Prince Khaled Abdullah will stay in training in 2018 and try to win a second Arc when the ¤5million race returns to its traditional Longchamp home.
So comprehensive was Enable’s victory that Dettori conceded he had had time to think about what was happening to him and his mount rather than simply act on race-riding instinct.
It left him emotional. While he milked the crowd for all its worth on his return to the winner’s enclosure — yes, of course there was a flying dismount — Dettori’s reaction as he crossed the line was a little shake of the head to notify the disbelief he felt at a potentially difficult job completed so easily.
The jockey said: ‘That was too easy. Too perfect and so unbelievable. I was thinking was this really real or was I dreaming.
‘I was quite emotional. Usually in an Arc, something happens but it was so smooth and effortless I was shocked.
‘Enable deserves all the credit she is the best filly I have ever ridden.
‘When I got around the home bend I couldn’t hold her. I thought, “Jesus Christ, I can’t wait till four out I will have to let her go’’.
‘At York (when Enable won the Yorkshire Oaks) I thought I went too early so I thought I would count to 10 and wait.
‘But I was cantering all over (fourth-placed) Order of St George. I was striking his heels I was going to well. She just flew. She has that burst of three or four lengths and then sustains it.’
Gosden had voiced fears that the 18-runner line-up around Chantilly’s tight circuit was a script for a bad luck story but, ultimately, everything went like clockwork.
Dettori said he would have been happy to make the running if the pace had been too slow but, after a smart break from her No 2 stall, he was able to slot in behind Aidan O’Brien’s pacesetter Idaho and Order of St George.
Dettori added: I went to make the running and saw Idaho was running free so let him slot in and then saw Order of George on my quarter and I managed to drag Enable back. It was exactly where I wanted her.’
Enable was adding the Arc to four other group one wins this season in the English, Irish and Yorkshire Oaks and the King George at Ascot.
Her achievements are worthy of her now being named alongside some of the great fillies and mares like previous Arc winners Allez France, Treve and Zarkava.
She also continued an amazing run in the race for her gender. Since Danedream won in 2011, only Golden Horn has succeeded for the males of the species.
Gosden said: ‘She’s very special. It would be wrong to run her again this year but if she’s in great form we should consider next year. She has only raced for 10 months of her life.
‘That would be exciting, to try to win the Arc on two different tracks.’
Ulysses will now head to the Breeders’ Cup in California next month while O’Brien could run Order of St George in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on Champions Day on October 21.
O’Brien could run ninth-placed Winter there too in the two-furlong shorter Champion Stakes.
The dual 1,000 Guineas winner, trying one and a half miles for the first time under Ryan Moore was a little tight for room a quarter of a mile out but never looked like throwing down a challenge.