ENABLE OUT FOR THREE MONTHS WITH SORE KNEE

A KNEE problem has scuppered the imminent return to action of Enable and will keep last season’s Arc winner on the sidelines at least until August. A clash between the Khaled Abdullahowned filly, who won five Group One races in 2017, and John Gosden-trained stablemate Cracksman has been one of the most anticipated features of the Flat season. But the first chance of that happening, in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July, is now off. With the precise nature of Enable’s knee issue unclear, there will also be concern about her being able to make the second of her potential clashes with Cracksman in October when she defends her Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe crown at Longchamp. A run in August at York has been pencilled in for a filly who was due to return in the Coronation Cup at Epsom’s Derby meeting next month. Lord Grimthorpe, racing manager to Khaled Abdullah, said: ‘Enable has met with a setback in training. She has some filling in her knee which is being fully investigated. ‘The advice that we have is that given reasonable circumstances, she should be ready to run in August as a preparation for the Arc.’ The news prompted Ladbrokes’ Arc odds for Cracksman, who made a winning comeback in the Prix Ganay, to be cut back to 11-4.

TRAINER Richard Hannon is considering the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Royal Ascot’s Coronation Stakes as the next race for Billesdon Brook, his shock 66-1 winner of the 1,000 Guineas on Sunday.