The Coral-Eclipse at Sandown remains the absolute most likely comeback target for superstar mare Enable.
The daughter of Nathaniel was just denied in her bid for an historic third consecutive victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at the finish of last season, filling the runner-up spot behind Waldgeist to finish her sequence of 12 straight victories.
Less than a week or two later, Enable’s owner-breeder Khalid Abdullah delighted racing fans by confirming his charge would remain in training as a six-year-old – with a return to Paris in the autumn the top of agenda.
Connections decided against an appearance at Royal Ascot, nevertheless the owner’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe reports the John Gosden-trained mare to be firmly on course for the Eclipse on July 5 adhering to a pleasing work out under Frankie Dettori the other day.
“It’s been a gradual build-up – she’s a six-year-old mare, so I don’t think John wants to do anything too quickly,” Grimthorpe told Sky Sports Racing.
“She’s always told us when she’s ready to go, rather than the other way round. She’s had a couple of good works on the Limekilns on the Round Gallop – nothing too strenuous, but Frankie (Dettori) sat on her on Friday, and I think was very happy with her.”
Enable won the Eclipse, Ascot’s King George and the Yorkshire Oaks on the way to the Arc a year ago – and a similar campaign may be in the pipeline.
Grimthorpe added: “She’s coming (to hand). I do believe Prince Khalid is happy that we go directly to the Eclipse. She’s been in good form.
“I think it’s fair to state she will build-up towards the Arc. How she gets there will be as much as her and John. I imagine it’ll be a fairly similar pattern (to last year) – you will find only so many races that fall at the best time for her to get at ParisLongchamp.
“The Arc is the main target, and we’ll be guided by that.”
