Enable cements her place among the equine greats

Racing fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that Enable gets the green light to race on in 2019. Picture: Racingfotos.com

John Gosden and Frankie Dettori would relish wonder filly Enable staying in training next year.

The outstanding filly again excelled with an epic defeat of another QIPCO British Champions Series star, Magical, in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs on Saturday night.

It was her seventh win at the highest level – three of those triumphs being achieved in QIPCO British Champions Series races – and the prospect of her seeking more glory next summer, as a five-year-old, remains a possibility.

“Mr Dettori has three children going to college, so he’ll be very keen she stays in training!” Gosden said. “Maybe she’s getting better. She did it today with sheer guts and determination.

“She’s had a difficult year and really it’s amazing she’s here today. She showed enormous courage, beating a very high-class filly, and it was interesting that they came well clear of the third.

“It was a wonderful stretch run between two great fillies and two great jockeys. We’ve come out on top and full marks to the filly because she’s been very brave and mentally very strong to get herself here.”

Dettori added: “She’s conquered America! Amazing, I’ve no words to say how brilliant she is.”

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, said: “I was yelling for Frankie, it was just a fantastic race. So much has gone into the whole year and it became an emotional roller-coaster ride for Prince Khalid.

“He will take his time before deciding on her future, but whatever decision he makes will be the right one.”

Magical, trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, had won the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes on Champions Day a fortnight earlier and pulled almost ten lengths clear of the third horse home.

“Everything went perfectly to plan, and she’s been beaten by a great filly, with a great trainer and owner,” O’Brien said. “I don’t know whether she will carry on next year, we will talk about it.”