HE’S JOHN OF ARC
ENABLE galloped into the history books with a brilliant win in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly.
John Gosden’s filly was a red-hot 10-11 favourite to bag her fifth Group One and always travelled sweetly in third behind Idaho and Order Of St George.
The result was never in doubt once Frankie Dettori kicked for home two out and Enable stormed clear to beat Cloth Of Stars (25-1) by two-and-a-half lengths.
Ulysses (9-1) produced another high-class run to take third with Order Of St George fourth.
Gosden, who won the Arc with Golden Horn two years ago, said: “She’s very special and was well positioned by Frankie in order to show her sheer class and brilliance.
“It’s all about the filly and the owner-breeder Prince Khalid Abdullah. He bred the mother and for his farm to produce something like this is exciting for us all. It would be wrong to run her again this year. To go to the Breeders’ Cup would be wrong – too hard on the filly.
“If she’s in great form we should consider next year. Maybe it would be wonderful to go to the opening of the new Longchamp and try to do it again.”
The run sees Dettori become the most successful Arc jockey of all time with five victories.
No British-trained filly had previously won Europe’s premier middle-distance prize and Dettori said: “She’s amazing and is an absolute freak. I love her. John is a genius.” Happily (6-5 fav) rewarded a decision to take on the colts with a cosy success in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
Held up early on by Ryan Moore, the two-year-old produced a powerful run in the final furlong to beat Olmedo (7-2) by a lengt-hand-a-quarter and become Paddy Power’s new 9-2 second favourite for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien said: “It was the lads (Coolmore) who decided to run her against the colts so it was a brave call.”
Godolphin’s Wild Illusion (25-1) also looked a live Classic contender in the Prix Marcel Boussac.
Charlie Appleby’s filly showed a potent turn of foot when beating Polydream (11-8) by a length-anda-half under James Doyle.
The win now sees Wild Illusion as short as 12-1 for next year’s Investec Oaks at Epsom. ■ BRAAVOS (4.0) can strike for Philip Hobbs in the Racing UK Novices’ Chase at Stratford.
The six-year-old has been in decent form over timber and looks exactly the type to be even better over fences.