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Enable (foaled 12 February 2014) is a champion British
Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racehorse and broodmare who won 15 of her 19 races, including 11
Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...
races. Her biggest wins include the
Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...
,
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
,
Epsom Oaks The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 ya ...
,
Irish Oaks The Irish Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and it ...
,
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot ...
,
Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...
and
Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile ...
. Enable was the 2017 and 2019
European Horse of the Year The Cartier Racing Awards are awards in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier SA, Cartier. The award winners are decided by points earned in group races (40%) plus the votes cast by British racing journalists (30%) and re ...
. Enable's racing career lasted from November 2016 to October 2020. After winning her only race as a two-year-old in 2016, she emerged as the dominant middle-distance horse in Europe in 2017, winning the Cheshire Oaks,
Epsom Oaks The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 ya ...
,
Irish Oaks The Irish Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and it ...
,
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot ...
,
Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile ...
and
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
. As a four-year-old, Enable won the September Stakes, a second
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
and the
Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...
. In doing so, she became the first Arc winner to win the Breeders' Cup Turf in the same year. In 2019, Enable won the
Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...
and recorded repeat victories in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks before her long unbeaten run came to an end when she finished second to
Waldgeist Waldgeist (foaled 17 February 2014) is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He has raced in six countries, namely France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and Hong Kong. He showed top-class form as a two- ...
in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. As a six-year-old, Enable ran second to Ghaiyyath in the Eclipse before becoming the first horse to win a third King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. In the autumn of 2020, Enable won another September Stakes before failing in her second attempt to win a third Prix de l'Arc Triomphe.


Background

Enable was bred in England by Khalid Abdullah's
Juddmonte Farms Juddmonte Farms is a horse breeding farm, owned until his death on 12 January 2021 by Prince Khalid bin Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. National Thoroughbred Racing Association"Juddmonte Farms, Inc.", profile. Retrieved October 16, 2007. Overview J ...
. She is a bay mare with a large white
star A star is a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by Self-gravitation, self-gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night sk ...
and a narrow irregular blaze, a white
sock A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or some part of the Calf (leg), calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. ...
on her left hind leg and smaller white markings on her front feet. She was sent into training with
John Gosden John Harry Martin Gosden (born 30 March 1951) is a British Horse trainer, racehorse trainer. He has trained over 3,000 winners worldwide, including victories in the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Epsom Derby, Derby, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, A ...
at
Newmarket, Suffolk Newmarket is a market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk (district), West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England, 14 miles west of Bury St Edmunds and 14 miles northeast of Cambridge. In 2021, it had a population of 16,772. It is a global ...
. Enable is from the first crop of foals sired by
Nathaniel Nathaniel is an English variant of the biblical Hebrew name A name is a term used for identification by an external observer. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. ...
who won the
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot ...
in 2011 and the
Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...
in the following year. Her dam Concentric showed good form in France, winning a Listed race and finishing second in the
Prix de Flore The Prix de Flore is a French literary prize founded in 1994 by Frédéric Beigbeder. The aim of the prize is to reward youthful authors and it is judged by a panel of journalists. It is awarded yearly in November, at the Café de Flore in Paris. T ...
. She is also a full sister to the dam of
Flintshire Flintshire () is a county in the north-east of Wales. It borders the Irish Sea to the north, the Dee Estuary to the north-east, the English county of Cheshire to the east, Wrexham County Borough to the south, and Denbighshire to the west. ...
.


Racing career


2016: two-year-old season

Enable made her only appearance as a two-year-old in a
maiden race In horse racing, a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the s ...
over one mile on the synthetic Tapeta track at
Newcastle Racecourse Newcastle Racecourse is a horse racing course located at Gosforth Park in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, owned by Arena Racing Company. It stages both Flat racing, flat and National Hunt racing, with its biggest meeting being the Northumberland ...
on 28 November 2016 and started at odds of 7/2 in a field of nine fillies. Ridden by Robert Havlin, she was restrained towards the rear before taking the lead inside the final
furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...
and drawing away to win by three and three quarter lengths.


2017: three-year-old season


Spring

Enable began her second season in a minor stakes race over ten furlongs at
Newbury Racecourse Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse and events venue in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury, Berkshire, Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps. It hosts one of Great Britain's List of ...
on 21 April when she was partnered by
William Buick William Buick (born 22 July 1988) is a Norwegian-born British flat jockey. He shared the champion apprentice jockey title in 2008 with David Probert and won the Lester Award for Apprentice Jockey of the Year in 2007 and 2008. From 2010 to 2 ...
. Starting at odds of 5/1, she stayed on well in the closing stages to finish third behind her stablemate Shutter Speed and Raheen House.
Frankie Dettori Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori (; born 15 December 1970), is an Italian jockey who was based in England for a career spanning over 35 years. He was British flat racing Champion Jockey three times (1994, 1995 and 2004) and rode the winners of 287 ...
took the ride when Enable moved up in class and distance to contest the Cheshire Oaks over eleven and a half furlongs at
Chester Racecourse Chester Racecourse, also known as the Roodee, is a racecourse located in Chester, England. The horse racing venue is officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the "oldest racecourse still in operation". Horse racing in Chester dates ...
on 10 May and was made the 2/1 second choice in the seven-runner field behind the
Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien (born 16 October 1969 in County Wexford, Ireland) Aidan O'Brien bio NTRA. ...
-trained Alluringly.. After racing in second place, Enable took the lead three furlongs out and went clear of her rivals before being eased down by Dettori to win by one and three quarter lengths.


Summer

On 2 June, Enable was one of nine fillies to contest the 238th running of the Oaks Stakes over one and a half miles at
Epsom Racecourse Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse in a hilly area near Epsom in Surrey, England which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. The "Downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course has a crowd capacity of 130,000 includin ...
. The race was run in heavy rain after a
thunderstorm A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustics, acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorm ...
struck the course shortly before the start. The Irish filly
Rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; : ''rhododendra'') is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the Ericaceae, heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are native to eastern Asia and the Himalayan ...
, ridden by Ryan Moore, was made the 8/11 favourite with Enable second choice in the betting on 6/1 alongside the Godolphin challenger Sobetsu (winner of the
Prix Saint-Alary The Prix Saint-Alary is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Longchamp in Paris over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1 miles), and take ...
). The other runners included Alluringly, Natavia ( Fillies' Trial Stakes),
Coronet In British heraldry, a coronet is a type of crown that is a mark of rank of non-reigning members of the royal family and peers. In other languages, this distinction is not made, and usually the same word for ''crown'' is used irrespective of ra ...
( Zetland Stakes) and Horseplay ( Pretty Polly Stakes). With Dettori again in the saddle, Enable raced in third place before going to the front two furlongs out with Rhododendron as her only serious challenger. In the closing stages Enable drew right away from the favourite to win by five lengths with another six lengths back to Alluringly in third place. After the race Dettori commented "When I saw Ryan wasn't moving alongside me, I thought I was in trouble, but once I saw his distress signals coming I knew my filly would stay right to the end. She's only run three times, she's very good. She's still a bit of a frame but I think she'll get better and better." Enable made her next appearance in the Irish Oaks at the
Curragh The Curragh ( ; ) is a flat open plain in County Kildare, Ireland. This area is well known for horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is on the edge of Kildare town, beside the Japanese Gardens. Pollardstown Fen, the larges ...
on 15 July. She was partnered by Dettori who had just returned to riding after sustaining an arm injury at Yarmouth on 13 June. She was made the 2/5 favourite ahead of her stablemate Coronet, whilst the other eight runners included Rain Goddess (runner-up in the Pretty Polly Stakes), Alluringly, Intricately (
Moyglare Stud Stakes The Moyglare Stud Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is schedu ...
) and Eziyra ( C L Weld Park Stakes). After tracking the leader Rain Goddess, Enable went to the front two furlongs out, accelerated away from her rivals and won "easily" by five and a half lengths. Dettori commented "Enable is a very special filly and it was so important to ride her – she is a true professional and I think she has improved since Epsom. She has a good turn of foot and put the race to bed". Less than two weeks after her win at the Curragh, Enable, with Dettori again in the saddle, was matched against older horses and male opposition in the
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot ...
at
Ascot Racecourse Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Grade ...
. She started the 5/4 favourite against nine opponents including Highland Reel,
Jack Hobbs Sir John Berry Hobbs (16 December 1882 – 21 December 1963) was an English professional cricketer who played for Surrey from 1905 to 1934 and for England in 61 Test matches between 1908 and 1930. Known as "The Master", he is widely regarded ...
,
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...
, Ulysses and My Dream Boat. She raced in second place behind the pacemaker Maverick Wave before going to the front entering the straight. She accelerated several lengths clear of her rivals and never looked in any danger of defeat coming home four and a half lengths clear of Ulysses with Idaho in third place. After the race Dettori, who was riding at his minimum weight of 119 pounds said, "I haven't had a feeling like that since
Golden Horn The Golden Horn ( or ) is a major urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey. As a natural estuary that connects with the Bosphorus Strait at the point where the strait meets the Sea of Marmara, the waters of the ...
in the Arc... She's top-drawer and that's three times she's proved it, three times that she's won by a wide margin. I didn't want to see a sprint and I knew she stays, so I kicked for home early". John Gosden described Enable as being "as good a filly as I've ever trained... she just takes the race by the horns" before suggesting the
Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile ...
and the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
as future targets. As Gosden had predicted, Enable made her next appearance in the Yorkshire Oaks at
York Racecourse York Racecourse is a horse racing venue in York, North Yorkshire, England. It is the third biggest racecourse in Britain in terms of total prize money offered, and second behind Ascot Racecourse, Ascot in prize money offered per meeting. It att ...
on 24 August. She went off the 1/4 favourite against five opponents including Queen's Trust (
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for fillies and mares, three years old and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championsh ...
), Nezwaah ( Pretty Polly Stakes), Coronet and Alluringly. She took the lead from the start, drew away from the field in the straight and won "very readily" by five lengths from Coronet. Gosden commented "There was no obvious pace so I said to Frankie that he could do his own thing. She got lonely in the last part, she was looking around and idling. It's not her favourite way of racing but she can do it that way. It was a lovely prep for the Arc, and it's a nice run-in now. She'd be the best mile-and-a-half filly that I've trained".


Autumn

Enable started odds-on favourite for the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
on 1 October at
Chantilly Chantilly may refer to: Places France *Chantilly, Oise, a city ** US Chantilly, a football club *Château de Chantilly United States * Chantilly, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Chantilly (Charlotte neighborhood), North Carolina ...
. As she had not been among the original entries, her owner had to pay a supplementary fee of €120,000 to run her in the race. Ulysses and Idaho were again in opposition, whilst the other runners included
Order of St George Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * ...
,
Winter Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year in temperate and polar climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Dif ...
,
Capri Capri ( , ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. A popular resort destination since the time of the Roman Republic, its natural beauty ...
, Satono Diamond and Seventh Heaven. After racing in third place, Enable took the lead in the straight, went clear of the field and stayed on to win by two and a half lengths from
Cloth of Stars Cloth of Stars (foaled 6 April 2013) is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed good ability as a two-year-old in 2015, winning the Prix des Chênes and being placed in both the Prix de Condé and the Critérium de Sain ...
. Dettori commented "It was too perfect... It happened exactly like I thought and she won like I thought. Usually in an Arc something happens but it was so smooth, so effortless" while Gosden added "She's really only had one very busy season so there's a possibility she might stay in training next year and go to the new Longchamp. She's truly exceptional, straight out of the top drawer". On 16 November 2017 at the
Cartier Racing Award The Cartier Racing Awards are awards in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier. The award winners are decided by points earned in group races (40%) plus the votes cast by British racing journalists (30%) and readers of th ...
s Enable was named Champion Three-year-old Filly and Horse of the Year In the 2017 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, Enable was rated the fifth-best horse in the world and the best three-year-old filly with a rating of 129.


2018: four-year-old season

In May 2018, it was announced that Enable had suffered a "training setback" and would not race as a four-year-old until August at the earliest. On 6 September, Enable made a belated seasonal debut in the September Stakes on the synthetic polytrack surface at Kempton, winning by lengths over Crystal Ocean. After the race Gosden said "She's 80 per cent fit, 85 per cent if you had to stretch it. She is in a good place mentally. She loves her racing. It frustrated her when the other horses went out on the Heath every morning and she couldn't. It's a hard thing for her to stand around doing nothing". Enable was given a month's break prior to the 2018 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in which she attempted to become the eighth horse, and the first trained in England, to win the race for a second time.. She started as the favourite ahead of
Sea of Class Sea Of Class (23 May 2015 – 22 July 2019) was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. She was unraced as a juvenile and beaten on her three-year-old debut, but then made rapid progress, winning the Fillies' Trial Stakes in May a ...
,
Waldgeist Waldgeist (foaled 17 February 2014) is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He has raced in six countries, namely France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and Hong Kong. He showed top-class form as a two- ...
and
Kew Gardens Kew Gardens is a botanical garden, botanic garden in southwest London that houses the "largest and most diverse botany, botanical and mycology, mycological collections in the world". Founded in 1759, from the exotic garden at Kew Park, its li ...
, while the other fifteen runners included Capri, Cloth of Stars, Talismanic,
Study of Man Study of Man (foaled 9 April 2015) is an Irish-bred, French-trained retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active breeding stallion. After winning his only race as a juvenile in 2017 he developed into a top-class performer in the following spring, ...
(
Prix du Jockey Club The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly ov ...
) and Clincher ( Kyoto Kinen). Nelson set the pace before giving way to Capri in the straight but Enable, having tracked the leaders from the start, moved smoothly into the lead 300 metres from the finish. After looking likely to win easily she came under strong pressure in the last 100 metres but held on to win by a short neck from Sea of Class. Dettori said "as we got to the false straight, the life in the old girl came back. I knew then we were in business. I waited as long as I could and, when I said 'come on, let's go', the trademark turn of foot was there... She wasn't the Enable of last year but she's got the job done". John Gosden commented "It's not been the preparation we wanted, it has been very difficult, and we had a hiccup between Kempton and here with a slight temperature thing, so it has not been easy. She was not at her best today. I have had a difficult year with her, it is entirely down to the filly and her guts and a lovely ride from Frankie. She has got the job done and it is down to her mind, she is a wonderful filly". In her final run of the season, Enable went to the United States for the
Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...
at
Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States that hosts the annual Kentucky Derby. It opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was prominent in Kentucky for many years. The first ...
on 3 November. She was the 8/13 favourite ahead of 12 opponents including Waldgeist, Talismanic and Magical from Europe, while the only North American runners given any serious chance were Robert Bruce (
Arlington Million The Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flat horse race in the United States for thoroughbred horses aged three years and upward on turf. It was originally raced at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois over a distance of miles. The Arling ...
) and Channel Maker ( Joe Hirsch Turf Classic). After racing in mid-division, Enable moved up on the wide outside on the final turn to take the lead in the straight but was immediately joined by Magical, ridden by Ryan Moore. The two fillies pulled well clear of the rest and at the line Enable prevailed by three quarters of a length with a gap of nine lengths back to the 80/1 outsider Sadler's Joy in third. Explaining the race, Dettori said "She didn't break that well and then the pace was on straight away. I managed to get out to four off the fence, and then she was moving good again. I was waiting for her to give me the message that she was ready to go, and I could see Magical on my inside. Magical took me on pretty early and then it was a punch-up to see who was the best. She went half a length up and I knew she was fighting for me but Ryan was like a wasp that wouldn't go away. The ground made it hard for her today, but she's a superstar". Enable was the first Arc winner to win the Breeders' Cup Turf in the same year. At the 2018 Cartier Awards, Enable was named
Cartier Champion Older Horse The Cartier Champion Older Horse is an award in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier SA as part of the Cartier Racing Awards. The award winner is decided by points earned in group races plus the votes cast by British rac ...
. In the 2018 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, Enable was placed eighth, with a rating of 125.


2019: five-year-old season

In 2019, Enable missed scheduled entries in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and at
Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Gra ...
before returning to the track for the
Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...
over ten furlongs at
Sandown Park Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse racin ...
on 6 July. Magical appeared to be her biggest threat, while the other six runners were Regal Reality ( Brigadier Gerard Stakes), Telecaster (
Dante Stakes The Dante Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards () ...
), Mustashry, Zabeel Prince, Hunting Horn ( Hampton Court Stakes) and Danceteria ( La Coupe). Starting the 4/6 favourite, Enable tracked the front-running Hunting Horn before taking the lead two furlongs out and held off the challenge of Magical to win by three quarters of a length. She became the third mare to win the race after Pebbles and Kooyonga, and the first five-year-old mare to take the prize. Frankie Dettori said "I'm as ecstatic as when I won my first race on her... Her longevity has been incredible. I never stop getting excited when I ride her in the morning. She's very special. I really love her... She's got so many gears and the unbelievable will to win. She's got everything." Three weeks after her win at Sandown, Enable started at odds of 8/15 as she attempted to repeat her 2017 success in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Her ten opponents included Crystal Ocean,
Anthony Van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck (; ; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Flemish Baroque painting, Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Spanish Netherlands and Italy. The seventh child of ...
,
Defoe Defoe may refer to: People *Defoe (surname), most notably English author Daniel Defoe Places *Defoe, Webster County, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Other uses *Defoe (comics), a zombie story *Defoe Shipbuilding Company, a former shipy ...
, Waldgeist and Cheval Grand. She raced towards the rear of the field as Norway and Magic Wand set a strong pace before moving up quickly approaching the final turn. Enable took the lead from Crystal Ocean two furlongs out and held off a renewed challenge from the latter in the closing stages to win by a neck with Waldgeist a length and a quarter back in third place. After the race Dettori said "At the five urlong pole I looked up and thought, the only one I've got to beat is Crystal Ocean. I've got to get on to his tail. Then ames Doyle on Crystal Oceanwas sitting pretty going really well, so I jumped on him and made a race of it, and I probably took him by surprise. Then, he was fighting back and the gloves were off. In fairness, he served it up to me and we had a right titanic battle... She is extraordinary and she really surprised me. She's an amazing horse in every way: ability, courageous, uncomplicated." On 22 August, three horses—Magical, Lah Ti Dar ( Middleton Stakes) and the 100/1 outsider South Sea Pearl—seemed able to oppose Enable as she ran for a second Yorkshire Oaks. Starting at odds of 1/4, Enable led from the start, saw off a challenge from Magical in the last quarter mile and won by two and three quarter lengths. The race was regarded as a trial for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Gosden commented "This was a lovely prep for her, a gorgeous race in its own right and we couldn't be more pleased with her... She has this amazingly competitive mind. She's just a great filly with a great constitution." On 6 October, Enable started the 1/2 favourite in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as she attempted to record an unprecedented third success. After settling in fourth place, she went to the front 400 metres from the finish and looked the likely winner, but was run down in the final strides by Waldgeist and beaten into second place. After the race, Dettori said "The ground was very sticky... She just folded a bit and the winner was too good for me today, but my filly was already tired... I think ground had a lot to do with it." On 12 November, Enable was named Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse at the Cartier Awards, taking both honours for the second time. These were her fourth and fifth awards, tying the record set by
Frankel Frankel is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Benjamin Frankel (1906–1973), British composer * Bethenny Frankel (born 1970), American chef and reality television personality * Charles Frankel (1917–1975), American philoso ...
. In the
2019 World's Best Racehorse Rankings The 2019 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, sponsored by Longines was the 2019 edition of the World's Best Racehorse Rankings. It was an assessment of Thoroughbred Horse racing, racehorses issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorit ...
, Enable was given a rating of 128, placing her in a three-way tie for first place alongside Crystal Ocean and Waldgeist.


2020: six-year-old season

Enable's first start of 2020 was the
Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...
at Sandown Park on 5 July. Owing to the restructuring of the British flat racing because of the
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
pandemic, the race was not open to three-year-olds for the first time in its history. In her attempt to win the race for a second time, Enable started favourite ahead of Ghaiyyath and
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, despite Gosden warning that she was likely to be in need of the race and short of peak fitness. After racing in mid-division, she stayed on well in the straight but was unable to reel in the front-running Ghaiyyath and finished second, beaten two and a quarter lengths. Gosden was satisfied with the run, commenting "We're delighted with that, she ran a gorgeous race... She enjoyed it and the zest and desire was there, but trying to get involved with a front-running horse like haiyyathwas never going to be her deal... It was the perfect platform she needed for the King George". When Enable attempted to record an unprecedented third victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on 25 July, only two horses appeared to oppose her: Japan and the 2019 Irish Derby winner
Sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title that can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to ...
. Enable went off the 4/9 favourite in a race run behind closed doors in heavy rain. She settled in second place behind Sovereign before moving up to take the lead in the straight and drew away in the final furlong to win "easily" by five and a half lengths. Frankie Dettori, who was winning the race for a record-equalling seventh time said "We tried a variety of things to get the fire back, and that's why John Gosden is a great trainer, he does things outside the box, and we got her back. She's not getting better, but her enthusiasm throughout the race today was plain to see and she's thriving with racing... I love her so much. I've become friends with her, she's got tremendous presence and she knows she's good". Enable's connections took her to Kempton to attempt a second September Stakes win instead of going to the
Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile ...
or the Juddmonte International. After missing the start, Dettori raced Enable into a lead that she maintained for the rest of the race. She pulled away from Kirstenbosch and the previous year's
Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...
runner up, Prince of Arran, to win by 7 lengths at a starting price of 1-14. Her next start was the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
, where she was the 5/4 favourite trying for a record third win in Europe's arguably most prestigious race. But she came sixth in the eleven horse field in heavy going. In the 2020 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, Enable was rated on 122, making her the equal twenty-first best racehorse in the world.


Retirement and breeding career

Juddmonte announced Enable's retirement on 12 October 2020. Khalid Abdullah's racing manager, Teddy Beckett, said that Enable had "brought so much joy to everyone who has been involved with her" and John Gosden stated "Enable has retired happy and sound after an extraordinary career. Her daily presence has been a joy and her record in Group Ones including four Oaks, three King Georges, two Arcs, an Eclipse and a Breeders' Cup Turf is a marvel and unprecedented." Frankie Dettori also paid his tribute, saying "Obviously I shed a tear as I was a bit emotional. She has touched my heart and has been one of the great mares of our generation." Enable was retired to stud and her first foal, a colt by Kingman, was born on 11 February 2022. Her second foal, a chestnut filly by
Dubawi Dubawi (foaled 7 February 2002) is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse. He has proven himself a top-class sire (horse), sire. Background Dubawi is a bay horse with no white markings bred in Ireland by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh Moham ...
, was born in March 2023.


Race record


Pedigree

*Enable is
inbred Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders an ...
3x2 to Sadler's Wells, meaning that this stallion appears in both the second and third generations of her pedigree. *Enable is
inbred Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders an ...
4x3 to Northern Dancer, meaning that this stallion appears in both the third and fourth generations of her pedigree.


References


External links


Enable - Race Record & Form
- ''Racing Post''

– ''Enable'' {{Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Winners 2014 racehorse births Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 4-m Epsom Oaks winners King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winners Irish Classic Race winners Arc winners Cartier Award winners Breeders' Cup Turf winners European Thoroughbred Horse of the Year