Godolphin star eclipses Enable
Ghaiyyath takes Coral-Eclipse honours as the supermare settles for second
IF nothing else, the restricted 2020 Flat season owing to Covid-19 has witnessed older horses coming into their own. Two of the most breathtaking performances at Royal Ascot were by six-year-olds Stradivarius and Battaash. On Sunday, 5 July, another was unleashed in the shape of Enable, who did not disgrace finishing second behind Ghaiyyath in the Group One Coral-Eclipse.
Instead of being sent to the breeding paddocks, Enable has unfinished business with the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe in October, when she could still become the first horse to win it three times, having narrowly failed behind Waldgeist last autumn.
Before that, she also has a record-breaking opportunity in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot at the end of this month. Only Enable, Dahlia and Swain have won that race twice and Enable will get the chance to become the first to win it three times.
Her trainer John Gosden had warned before this year’s CoralEclipse – a race she won first time out last year – that it is harder to get her fit ahead of her first run these days, but it was no disgrace to finish 2½ lengths behind the five-year-old Godolphin star.
“THE FINISHED ARTICLE”
PRIOR to this season, the Charlie Appleby-trained, long-striding Ghaiyyath had been putting together a portfolio of impressive wins abroad, including 14 lengths in the Grosser Pries von Baden and 8½ lengths in a Group Three contest in Dubai.
For one reason or another, the son of Dubawi rarely wins a race after less than a 100-day break. That may just have been circumstance or equally because he makes the running and never gives himself an easy race.
Having won the Coronation Cup at Newmarket in record time 30 days earlier, his ability to back up relatively quickly was going to be tested by Enable, Japan and Deirdre at Sandown Park.
Dropping back to 1¼ miles, he made every yard of the running and, there is no question, he is a serious horse. Both Enable and Japan began to close him down going to the furlong pole, but he stayed on up the hill and was going away at the finish to beat Enable 2¼ lengths.
“We always thought Ghaiyyath would get stronger from aged four to five,” said Appleby. “We’ve seen it abroad but the Coronation Cup was the first time he’s really done it here. Full credit to Enable, she lost nothing in defeat.”
The winning jockey, William Buick, added: “As a five-year-old, he’s physically and mentally the finished article, and before the race he is taking to it much better. I think 1¼ miles is his best trip – over 1½ miles you always think that the last furlong’s going to be a long one.”
Enable’s performance as runner-up pleased Gosden. “She ran a gorgeous race,” he said. “We know Ghaiyyath is a great front runner – if he gets free, you’ll never get to him. Enable came with a lovely run but just needed it in the last half furlong. She’s an older mare now and it’s taken more work to get her here – she was 85% today.”