3 minute read
Can She Make It Three Prix de l’Arc de Triomphes?
'Queen of the Turf' Enable has thrilled and captivated racing fans globally with her victories in the UK, Ireland, France and America. The mare had achieved new heights of stardom when achieving the 'impossible' in 2018 – completing the 'Arc' and Breeders Cup double – and continues to attract new supporters to the sport.
Enable will be bidding – for the second time – for a historic third success in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2020. Beaten by French trained Waldgeist in the 2019 renewal, it seemed that Enable's opportunity to make history was over until owner Prince Khalid Abdullah stepped in with the ultimate sporting gesture – she would race again in 2020 as a six-year-old.
Enable started the 2020 season with a defeat in the G1 Eclipse Stakes (2000m) at Sandown Park with trainer John Gosden citing fitness as a possible cause of defeat. The mare bounced back to Group One glory with an easy success in a three-runner King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2400m) at Ascot and had a perfect trial for the 'Arc' with a comfortable win in the G3 September Stakes (2400m) on the all-weather at Kempton Park.
It was debated after the 2019 'Arc' that Enable had left her race behind in a titanic struggle with Crystal Ocean in the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. With that in mind, John Gosden has cleverly campaigned the mare to avoid clashes with the top middle-distance performers: she avoided Love in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks (2400m) at York and swerved Ghaiyyath in the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes (2000m) at York.
The Juddmonte owned super-star potentially faces her toughest 'Arc' test in 2020. Despite trainers, horses and jockeys suffering a disrupted season, a top-class field is expected to gather at Longchamp. Enable will have to concede weight to the top three-year-old filly Love, out-stay champion stablemate Stradivarius and reverse form with the improving Ghaiyyath.
Can Enable make history with a third Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe? Of course she can!
| Number of runs | Win strike rate | Place strike Rate | |
| Black type races | 16 | 14 = 88% | 2 = 12% |
| Longchamp | 2 | 1 = 50% | 1 = 50% |
| Righthanded | 11 | 9 = 82% | 2 = 18% |
| Distance | 13 | 12 = 92% | 1 = 8% |
| 'Arc' | 3 | 2 = 66% | 1 = 33% |
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