Enable clear favourite for big Cartier award

Enable — arguably one of the best horses in the world at present — has moved to the top of the standings for the prestigious “Cartier Horse of the Year” award in December.

Enable’s win in the Yorkshire Oaks took her past dual Guineas winner Winter and she now has a 12-point advantage over both Ulysses and Winter.

The points tally accounts for 30% of the award with the remaining 70% split equally between a panel of racing journalists and a public vote cast by viewers of ITV racing and readers of the Racing Post and the Daily Telegraph.

Victory in the Juddmonte International has resulted in Ulysses moving into third place in the overall standings, as well as overtaking Ribchester in the race to be crowned Champion Older Horse.

Marsha’s win by the width of cigarette paper in York’s Nunthorpe Stakes has moved her into second place for the Champion Sprinter award and the filly is just eight points behind July Cup victor Harry Angel.

John Gosden, who trains Enable, has yet to decide whether Cracksman joins Enable in Paris for the Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly on October 1. Britain’s leading bookies quote Enable as the evens favourite, with Cracksman on offer at 8-1.

“Enable came out of the Yorkshire Oaks in good shape and the plan is to take her straight to the Arc,” Gosden said on Thursday.

“The Prix Niel at Chantilly is a possibility for Cracksman after

which nothing is being ruled in or out. He’s in good form after York and looks fresh and well.

“Jack Hobbs came out of the King George with an issue but is now back trotting. He won’t make the Arc but the plan is the Champion Stakes at Ascot in which he finished third last year,” Gosden said.

Former champion jockey Mark Khan made a successful return to racing last week and he will be looking forward to partnering the talented Champagne Haze for trainer Gary Alexander in Saturday’s grade 3 Spring Spree Stakes at Turffontein.

Champagne Haze has the hefty burden of 63kg, which will make life tough against Maximizer, Pure Blonde and Port Elizabeth raider, Classify.

Trained by Dorrie Sham, Classify travels to the Highveld in good form and will be looking to cover travel expenses with at least a top-four finish.

Khan has another good mount in the first leg of the Pick 6 in which he rides All Eyes On You for trainer Paul Matchett.

Aerobatic should go well here and is worth a swinger bet with Khan’s ride. Muzi Yeni has been booked for Bondiblu in the first leg of the jackpot, in which Save The Rhino and Tendre rate the chief dangers to Stanley Ferreira’s stayer.

MARK KHAN MADE A SUCCESSFUL RETURN TO RACING LAST WEEK AND HE WILL BE LOOKING TO PARTNERING THE TALENTED CHAMPAGNE HAZE AT TURFFONTEIN