ENABLE STORMS IN FOR FRANKIE

Dettori reigns supreme

CLASSY Enable showed great courage to see off Rhododendron and blitz her Investec Oaks rivals at a storm-hit Epsom yesterday.

“That must have been the worst conditions I have ever ridden in,” said Frankie Dettori.

“You could hardly see where you were going. It takes the edge off it as I wanted to celebrate but thought I better sit quiet as I wanted to get over the line.

“I did not want to slip or fall off or do anything stupid.”

Signals

But the Italian, who last won the Oaks with Kazzia in 2002, admitted he could see the motionless Ryan Moore and Rhododendron on his shoulder, inside the final furlong.

“When I saw Ryan wasn’t moving alongside me I thought I was in trouble, his reins were tight but once I saw his distress signals coming I knew my filly would stay right to the end.”

Enable came home five lengths ahead of Rhododendron, who clearly failed to stay, with Alluringly back in third place.

The thunder and lightning clearly upset the American hope Daddys Lil Dancer who was withdrawn at the start.

Going to post, her rider Olivier Peslier had no control and was forced to bail out before crashing into the starting stalls. Peslier and the filly were both fortunate to escape unscathed. John Gosden, the winning trainer, said: “That was a real Oaks. We had the drama before the race – I hope Olivier is alright, and the flash of lightning when they were loading into the stalls – it was all a bit Hollywood.

“I thought they were two magnificent fillies. They fought hard all the way down the straight.

“You could see Ryan and Frankie – they are good mates and they knew what the other was doing.

“They locked on three furlongs out, and I must say, from three out to the final furlong I thought we were in trouble.

Buzzing

“On a plane to France recently Ryan told me he was very impressed with the way ours had quickened at Chester, I put a lot of weight on that because Ryan is quite tight with praise normally!”

Dettori was buzzing and hopes for a third win in today’s Derby with Cracksman. “That has put me in the right frame of mind for tomorrow,” he said.

“It’s like a footballer scoring with a penalty kick. It has put a spring in my step.”

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