Bombproof Enable blows rivals away
Filly now Evens for Arc after scintillating victory Threading lifts Lowther with polished display
Enable notched up her fourth straight Group One success and took another step towards becoming the horse of 2017 with what was effectively a lap of honour of the Knavesmire in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks yesterday.
She led all the way to come home unchallenged, five lengths clear of stablemate Coronet and is now Evens favourite for the Prix de L’arc de Triomphe at Chantilly in October.
The Yorkshire Oaks may not go down as the King George and dual Oaks winner’s stiffest test yet, a fact reflected by her odds of 1-4, but her rivals did include two Group One winners and the only time they got anywhere close to her was in the stalls.
John Gosden’s filly proved, however, that she is bombproof and being able to make her own running is another useful weapon to have in her armoury before her trip to France.
First out of the stalls, Frankie Dettori let her make the most of her long, raking stride. Sometimes in front Dettori will slow the pace but there was no need for that here, she was comfortable and what was second gear for her was fifth gear for her opposition, who all seemed to be in trouble turning into the home straight.
From there on it was just a case of keeping her going – and interested. “I said to John [Gosden] she would have been more competitive if something had come to her,” said Dettori. “If something had sniffed her tail she’d have taken off. Even so she won by five lengths. She’s entitled to be favourite for the Arc and the good thing is we know we can make the running if necessary. If we can keep her in this shape she’ll be OK.”
Gosden explained that the tactics had been left to Dettori. “There was no obvious pace. He [Dettori] said she got lonely in the last part and was idling. For the last two furlongs I think she was just plain bored. She’s a lovely filly and that was a great performance.”
Gosden admitted that he had, perhaps, had more to lose than gain yesterday. “I know the feeling having been here with Taghrooda [beaten in this race at 1-5] but it was a lovely prep for the Arc,” he said.
“It was nice to come here for a quality Group One and there’s a nice run in to the Arc now. We’ll let her down a bit, but she needs to keep cantering because she gets so fresh and then we’ll build her up to it. She’s a happy, expressive filly. She had a little buck after I’d put the saddle on – she let’s you know how she’s feeling.”
Like the first Group race for juveniles this week, which went to Wells Farhh Go, the meeting’s second, the Sky Bet Lowther, also went to a Yorkshire-trained horse when Mark Johnston’s filly Threading showed her sixth-length debut win at Goodwood was no fluke when beating Madeline by 1¾ lengths.
Johnston, who could find his way blindfolded to the winners’ enclosure at Goodwood but, for some strange reason, has to follow the signs at York, said: “She won on the soft at Goodwood and today but Exceed And Excel’s progeny invariably need fast so I wouldn’t pigeon hole her as a soft ground horse.”