No final decision taken on the future of Enable
NO decision will be made just yet over whether Enable has run for the final time in her exalted career, following her sixth-place finish in the Prix de l’arc de Triomphe on Sunday last.
John Gosden’s brilliant mare found the very testing conditions in Parislongchamp against her, as Sottsass provided master French trainer Jean-claude Rouget with his first win in Europe’s premier race.
Gosden felt the slow pace dictated by Persian King also worked against his runners with Stradivarius finishing right on Enable’s tail. He put that down to the absence of Aidan O’brien’s contenders, who were dramatically ruled out on Saturday (October 3) evening due to problems related to contaminated feed.
“If we’d had Sovereign and Serpentine in there it would have been a very different race but, as it was, it didn’t work out for her or Stradivarius,” said Gosden.
“Frankie [Dettori] said neither horse liked the holding ground; it would have been better if it was wetter. I did warn people, though.
“They didn’t have a hard race as it was only a little dash. They weren’t blowing, so it was a rather elaborate journey for a racecourse gallop up the Longchamp straight.”
While Enable’s future remains up in the air, Gosden did confirm that triple Gold Cup winner Stradivarius will stay in training.
He told Sky Sports Racing: “I think Mr [Bjorn] Nielsen is keen for Stradivarius to attempt a fourth Gold Cup.
“With Enable,
Sottsass – third last year – gave trainer Jean-claude Rouget his first victory in the race although he endured a nervous wait after a steward’s enquiry.
Enable was prominent on entering the finishing straight but Frankie Dettori failed to rouse the 2017 and 2018 winner and she finished sixth.
It was the first time in her 19 races she finished outside the first three.
Her stablemate, the threetime Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius, also failed to take to the ground and finished seventh.
“It was too deep [the ground]. It killed her [Enable] action,” said Dettori.
German Derby winner In Swoop finished like a train to take second while long-time leader Persian King was third.
The winner’s jockey Cristian Demuro and several of his fellow jockeys were called into the stewards’ room to watch the finish and give their version of events.
The last time an Arc winner was disqualified was Sagace in 1985, handing
Te d d y [Grimthorpe, racing manager] and I will report to Prince Khalid [Abdullah, owner] and he will make the decision whether she has one more race or retires. It will be entirely his decision.
“We know she has a great turn of foot. It was unfortunate she was the meat in a sandwich at one point, and once you break your stride in that ground it is difficult to get going again.
“To that extent Frankie never touched her with the stick, same with Olivier [Peslier on Stradivarius].the horses weren’t handling the ground so the jockeys looked after them.
“Both are extremely bright after the race, which is extremely good news because you always worry in that ground they might pull something.
“She’s been amazingly consistent. She won her maiden, got boxed in when we ran her in a conditions race which we won with another filly, but after
gulping it down in one go.
“It is great to win the Arc of course because it is like no other race,” said the 67-year-old.
“I prefer the spring classics as they are less complicated.
“By the time the Arc comes the horses are tired and the ground is unpredictable.
“We won because we prepared the horse for this race .... we lost races this year in order to win this one.”
Owner Peter Brant watched from the United States but his Racing Manager Michel Zerolo relayed his reaction.
“He is overjoyed as this has been a lifetime ambition that she won everything apart from last year’s Arc and this year’s Eclipse.”
to win the Arc,” said Zerolo.
“I think he has had four runners before without success so he told me seeing Sottsass triumph gives him just huge joy.”
Zerolo could also slap himself on the back as he had picked the horse out from a selection of 25 he had been offered by the breeder as yearlings.
Zerolo said last year’s French Derby winner could run in the Breeder’s Cup in the United States later in the season – Enable went on to win there after her 2018 Arc success.