Superstar Enable closes in on Arc with another top-drawer display

Enable has been pulling up trees all year and Khalid Abdullah's superstar filly continued her impressive march towards the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe when she claimed her fourth Oaks at York.

With the Cheshire Oaks, the Oaks, Irish Oaks, plus the considerable prize of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes already secured there was more to lose than gain in contesting Yorkshire's version at odds of 1-4.

But even on a track that has proved a graveyard for the likes of Sariska, Snow Fairy, Was and trainer John Gosden's other King George-winning filly Taghrooda, nothing could stop Enable's ascent to greatness.

In part dress rehearsal for her Chantilly challenge in October, Frankie Dettori put her front-running prowess to the test. She passed with flying colours, quickening three furlongs out and needing just hands and heels to score by five lengths.

"She pricked her ears and did it well, and Frankie said she got lonely in the last part," said Gosden.

"She needed something to come to her and make her go and he said she was looking around and idling, but I don't mind as she was well clear. It was not her favourite way of racing but she can do it that way.

"We had an awful lot to lose. Remember I was here with Taghrooda, so I know the feeling.

"In the last two furlongs she was plain bored and wanted a bit of company, but she has won by five lengths and she can't do more than that.

"It was lovely to come here for a Group 1 of this quality and let her race. It was a lovely prep for the Arc. We will let her down a bit but we have to keep cantering her as she gets very fresh and then just build her up to the Arc."

Enable is a top-priced evens, from 5-4, to extend her streak in the Arc at Chantilly.

"That's a bit silly but we'll give it a go," Gosden said.

"She would be the best mile-and-a-half filly I've ever trained. Golden Horn would be the best mile-and-a-half colt. The Fugue was best at a mile and a quarter and Royal Heroine was best at a mile.

Enable will be bidding to emulate Golden Horn by winning the ArcCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"If there was absolutely no pace you wouldn't be frightened of making all there. That was one thing I wanted, to let her use her stride today to find that out. Chantilly is a tricky track because they go fast and take a pull on the bend."

Enable illuminated the Knavesmire just five years after Frankel was the headline act in the Juddmonte International and Abdullah's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe, also the racecourse chairman, recognised there would be a clamour to see her return next year.

"I know there is a great desire to see the good horses go on and on and she had a fairly limited two-year-old career," he said.

"We have to see how she is and see what the plan of attack would be again – the most important thing is her wellbeing.

"We understand it is an important thing for racing to have a filly of this calibre because she is a big attraction.

"We will take that into consideration, but the number-one priority is how she comes out of her races and what primarily Prince Khalid would like to do."

The battle for the places was also won by Gosden as Coronet caught Queen's Trust to seal second place. She, too, could be racing in France next.

"Enable won't go to the Vermeille, that's awfully close to the Arc, but Coronet might and Journey could run as well," Gosden said.

Coronet (grey) could be joined by stablemate Journey in the Prix VermeilleCredit: Mike Hewitt

"I would praise Coronet's run. She ran a great race in the Ribblesdale, didn't like it at the Curragh and had a Breeders' Cup winner in third today."

Queen's Trust was less at home on the easy conditions. Cheveley Park Stud's managing director Chris Richardson said: "She's run very well. They didn't go hugely quickly and that ground isn't really to her liking.

"She's in great form and we may consider dropping her back to ten furlongs and see whether she is more effective with a stronger pace over a shorter trip."

Yorkshire Oaks result and analysis

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