Six-year-old Enable (3.05) can make history at Longchamp on
Sunday and win a record-breaking third Arc for trainer John Gosden and Frankie
Dettori. The Italian has ridden the winner of the greatest flat race in the
world six times previously, but he really should already have a magnificent
seven as he chased too fast a pace on board the mare 12 months ago and was
mugged on the line by Andre Fabre's Waldgeist.
Enable is a best price of 11/8 and I really do feel it is
her race to lose such is her superiority over what could not be described as a
vintage field. The champion
three-year-old and antepost favourite Love withdrawn on Thursday on account of
the likely soft ground and the door is ajar for Enable to walk through it. When
you consider the brilliant stayer Stradivarius – another six-year-old – is 11/2
second favourite you get some idea of the quality of the opposition. I feel
Enable – who has a good draw in stall five – is a class apart and will be sent
off a shade of odds on.
On Saturday at Longchamp I hope to see Manuel De Vega (2.15)
land the Prix De Royallieu for Ralph Beckett stepping back up to
a-mile-and-three-quarters. The mare won her first couple before disappointing
in the Yorkshire Oaks behind Love, but the rain has arrived in time for her and
4/1 looks a fair ew price.
The unbeaten Logician cannot be opposed in the Cumberland
Lodge Stakes but at ½ he makes no appeal as a betting medium. Logician runs in
the same silks as Enable and, had something happened to the mare in the build
up to the Arc, I would have expected connections to supplement their classic
winner for the race. I expect Logician to target the leading middle-distance
races next year in the absence of Enable.
The last two winners of the big 7f handicap at Ascot Kynren
(3.05) and Raising Sand are near the top of the betting for this afternoon's
renewal and the former – who landed a gamble 12 months ago – gets the vote
although I am slightly concerned about his draw in stall three. The 6/1 with
Boylesports – 5 places – looks a fair each way price.
Group 1 action at Newmarket this afternoon and I hope to see
Champers Elysees (2.45) continue her winning run. Johnny Murtagh's filly began
the season off a mark of 86 but she has made her way up through the ranks and
ran out an impressive winner of the Gp 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown last
time. I hope she can make it five out of five this term in the Sun Chariot
Stakes over the Rowley Mile.
I was disappointed with Ice Sprite (3.20) at Goodwood last
time but am prepared to give her another chance in the fillies' handicap. The
William Haggas-trained filly has winning form on soft ground and she is taken
to return to winning ways. The three-year-old is 4/1 with William Hill.
I like the booking of Tom Marquand for John Locke (4.35) in
the straight mile final at Redcar. The selection drops back in trip having
scored at Goodwood over 10f on good to soft last time having been no match for
the progressive stayer at Lingfield – turf – previously over 12f. With such a
big field one would imagine there will be plenty of pace in the race, and I
hope Marquand can swoop fast and late from his high draw.
