Yorkshire Oaks next for Enable
ENABLE will warm up for her attempt at a historymaking third Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe win in the Yorkshire Oaks after a change of heart by John Gosden.
Having earmarked York’s 10-furlong Juddmonte International on August 21 as the star mare’s stepping stone to Longchamp on October 6, Enable’s trainer warned she could go straight to Europe’s middle-distance championship after an epic but draining triumph over Crystal Ocean in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last Saturday.
The Knavesmire is now back on the to-do list – but Enable, winner of the last two Arcs, will tackle her own gender in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks, which she captured in 2017, over a mile-and-ahalf the following day.
“As we know her main aim is the Arc,” said Lord Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Enable’s owner, Prince Khalid Abdullah, yesterday.
“We always said she will head to York. We know she is effective over a mile and a quarter but John didn’t want to bring her back again so we thought the Yorkshire Oaks would be a more suitable race, bearing in mind her main objective.
“Thank goodness she takes her racing very well and she has come out of the King George very well which is why John wants to run her before the Arc.”
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16-1 for the Stewards’ Cup at the start of the week, landed a gamble when landing the feature of the Qatar Goodwood Festival’s final day as the 4-1 favourite.
The Charlie Hills-trained colt, who had a comfortable two and three-quarter lengths to spare over Open Wide, is now 10-1 for the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park on September 7.
“We’ve got to go for those top races with him,” said Hills.