Enable Pulls Off the Arc Double

[Wandering Eyes]

   Tanking her way through Sunday’s G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and toward immortality as the only British-trained dual winner of ParisLongchamp’s monument, the even-money favourite Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) was ultimately less impressive than at Chantilly 12 months ago but the line came just in time as compatriot Sea of Class (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) bore down late. Enjoying the perfect trip from her perfect draw, the perfect scenario was on the cards as soon as the record-holding five-times Arc hero Frankie Dettori took her forward and on to the lead with 300 metres to race. While there was not the power surge evident 12 months ago, there was enough to steal a large enough advantage to be insurmountable for the impressive flourish of the year-younger Sea of Class. At the line, there was a short neck between the Newmarket fillies, with last year’s runner-up Cloth of Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) 3/4 of a length back in third. “She was not at her best today and this is entirely down to her and a lovely ride from Frankie on his 30th ride in the Arc,” John Gosden said. “It’s been a difficult and tough year with her and it has not been the preparation we’d have wanted. We had a hiccup between Kempton and here with a slight temperature thing, so it’s not been easy. This is very much down to her mind and ability. She’s a wonderful filly. The ground was a bit slick–I wanted more rain. If she is in good form, there’s no reason we wouldn’t try again but it’s up to Prince Khalid. This is beyond wonderful and very much against the odds, so I feel an enormous sense of relief.” Christopher Tsui said of the runner-up, who had more than 10 lengths to make up on Enable at the start of the “false straight”, “When they came into the straight, I thought she had absolutely no chance and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a race like it. To finish where she did is unbelievable. We can’t do anything about the draw, but we’ll never know what could have happened had she been drawn lower. We are pleased with the result and James [Doyle] has been fantastic in the preparation he’s done. We are very thankful for having him. Obviously, Enable is the best horse in the world right now and to finish just behind her is not bad I think.”

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE-G1, €5,000,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-7, 3yo/up, c/f, 12fT, 2:29.24, gd.
1–ENABLE (GB), 128, f, 4, by Nathaniel (Ire)
1st Dam: Concentric (GB) (SW & GSP-Fr, $117,776), by Sadler’s Wells
2nd Dam: Apogee (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Bourbon Girl, by Ile de Bourbon
O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. €2,857,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 11-14f, MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Ire, 10-9-0-1, €7,356,881. *1/2 to Contribution (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), MGSP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sea of Class (Ire), 121, f, 3, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Holy Moon (Ire), by Hernando (Fr). (170,000gns Ylg ’16 TATDEY). O-Sunderland Holding Inc; B-Razza Del Velino SRL (IRE); T-William Haggas. €1,143,000.
3–Cloth of Stars (Ire), 131, h, 5, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Strawberry Fledge, by Kingmambo. (400,000gns Ylg ’14 TATOCT). O-Godolphin SNC; B-Peter Anastasiou (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €571,500.
Margins: SNK, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 1.00, 5.40, 41.00.
Also Ran: Waldgeist (GB), Capri (Ire), Salouen (Ire), Kew Gardens (Ire), Nelson (Ire), Study of Man (Ire), Magical (Ire), Way to Paris (GB), Tiberian (Fr), Talismanic (GB), Patascoy (Fr), Defoe (Ire), Hunting Horn (Ire), Clincher (Jpn), Neufbosc (Fr), Louis d’Or (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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