Enable heads betting over Love for classic Arc challenge

THE likelihood of testing conditions has seen Enable usurp Love at the head of the betting for Sunday’s eagerly-anticipated Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

Heavy rain over the weekend and the expected absence of sunshine for the remainder of the week forced John Gosden’s brilliant mare Enable to be cut to as low as 6/4 as the six-year-old stood her ground among 22 entries with a third Arc victory in her sights.

Aidan O’Brien’s Love (now as big as 11/4) – already a three-time Group One winner this season – is unproven in demanding conditions with the French showpiece set to throw up the tantalising duel between the pair.

Enable’s stablemate Stradivarius (7/1), a three-time Ascot Gold Cup winner, has also attracted some support since the booking of Olivier Peslier, while O’Brien is likely to add Epsom Derby hero Serpentine to the field at tomorrow’s supplementary stage.

O’Brien could also run Grand Prix de Paris winner Mogul, Japan and last year’s Irish Derby victor Sovereign while son Joseph could saddle Buckhurst, Crossfirehurricane, Thames River, Degraves and New York Girl.

Today’s highlight sees Could Be King hoping to land the Listed Navigation Stakes (4.35) at Cork having bagged a lucrative premier handicap on Irish Champions Weekend.

Ken Condon’s charge has failed to strike at this level in the past, though, and preference is for Jessica Harrington’s Free Solo having run a careerbest at the Mallow track when second in a similar event earlier this month.