THE GRAND HERITAGE . . . SA'S ONLY CAVALRY CHARGE . . . R4-MILLION PICK 6 POOL Enables fans reach for the dream in the Arc
TOUGH: JOHN GOSDEN’S FILLY TICKS NEARLY EVERY BOX IN TOUGHEST TEST
Four-time Arc winner Frankie Dettori says she’s the real deal. London
The moment of truth has arrived – all summer I have been banging on about the brilliance of ENABLE and pleading with you to throw every spare rand on John Gosden’s filly for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Sadly, the 7-1 available after Enable won the Irish Oaks has long gone – if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet you’ll have to take the evens – but it’s now time to get off the soapbox and hope that the dream becomes reality in Europe’s richest race at Chantilly on Sunday.
There wouldn’t be bookmakers if any horse was unbeatable, so while Enable ticks almost every box on the table, the negatives, though heavily outweighed by the positives, have even Frankie Dettori searching for the worrybeads.
Dettori, seeking a record fifth victory in the race, said: “Enable is the best horse in Europe – maybe the best in the world – but she needs to win the Arc to take her place alongside Golden Horn and the other superstars that I have been lucky enough to have ridden.
“Can she do it? Well, she is a worthy favourite and she felt as good as ever when I gave her a final spin on the Newmarket gallops last weekend, so, hopefully, she can bring that A-game with her to France and then all we need is luck in running.
“She is the real deal – she has speed, stamina, oodles of class and a bombproof temperament, but there is plenty of quality among her 17 rivals so she now she faces her biggest test yet.”
Inevitably, the Doubting Thomases have come out of the closet this week, producing statistics why having the best form in the race might not be sufficient to take the 5-million Euro prize.
They point to the fact that Enable has been on the go since Newbury in April, when half-cocked she suffered the only defeat of her career, and she barely missed a dance all summer, winning four Oaks and a King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes against the colts.
Returning serve I remind them that 17 of the last 23 Arcs have been won by three-year-olds and that being a filly Enable receives 5.5kg from the older horses.
As quick as a flash a rasping forehand flies back over the net, scoring a point with the unarguable fact that the Arc comes at the end of a long season and that Treve, Three Troikas and Zarkava all took the traditional French midsummer vacation before winning as three-year-olds.
And before I could regain my composure those cynical few determined to take on the favourite rattled off Taghrooda, Ouija Board, User Friendly, Salsabil, Diminuendo and Sun Princess as British three-year-old fillies who had met their Waterloo in Paris on the first Sunday in October.
However, Enable and I began our love affair at Chester in May and I won’t be deserting her, especially on a track which suits those who like to race handy.
For me Gosden removed the main threat when he pulled out Cracksman in the week and the only way I can see Enable being beaten is if it proves one race too many.
So with that in mind I will also be having a saver on ORDER OF ST GEORGE, one of five runners in the race for Aidan O’Brien, who saddled the first three home last year.
Selections: 1 Enable, 2 Order Of St George, 3 Capri