Daily Racing Thread Saturday 27th. July 2019

The jockey lost the race. No doubt in my mind about that. They were going too slow for her, not too fast. She was falling over heels for a long way with Doyle repeatedly trying to find a way through gaps that weren't there. When he did finally decide there was no way through, it was far too late and the race was over. No way could she have won ridden like that so, for me that race can be written off and I'll see how she runs when given a decent ride. I haven't watched the race again since the live run. I'll now have a look at the video and see if I have a different view

 

When I wrote about her equalling Frankel’s winning streak, my assumption was that after Ascot she would go to York (I expect for the International, sponsored by her owner), then Longchamp and then a finale at the Breeders’ Cup. That would make her record 15 from 16 and that would certainly give her an enduring place in the record books; however, in defeating Crystal Ocean she was in receipt of the sex allowance so on a strict line of handicapping, the runner-up was the better horse.

The wide draw at Ascot meant that Frankie had to change tactics as I think he would rather have been closer to the pace, although the field ignored the pacemaker. Both she and Crystal Ocean came wide into the straight and I do not think that she was flat to the boards to repel Sir Michael’s horse and was doing enough to win.

It terms of surpassing what Frankel achieved, we are comparing chalk and cheese. To some extent both of them have been beating the same opponents over and over, just as Winx has largely done in the Southern Hemisphere. The obvious difference is that Frankel faced some better opponents and regularly won by big margins whereas Enable has excelled in a spell of mediocrity, but she can only beat what opposition is available. She was winning by big margins as a three year old but I think the improvement has largely dried up since her injury and she is now running the same race each time but that is good enough.

 

I was astonished that punters still wanted to back Summer Romance at Ascot after what I witnessed.

When she came into the pre-parade ring, her groom was struggling to keep her under control as she was on her toes and fighting for her head. On her second circuit he had been joined by another member of the team but she was still very agitated. They then put a hood on her, which seemed to calm her a little. I assume that they got permission from the stewards for her to go in the parade ring with the hood but they removed it when she was released onto the track and she virtually bolted to the start with Doyle just a passenger.

I spoke to a friend of mine who was at Newmarket when she won her previous race easily and he said that she was as quiet as a lamb there, so something was clearly amiss on Saturday and, as we know, she did not give her running.

 

Hmmm. Interesting seeing it from a different angle. Not so much up horses' backsides as it looked from the head on. Now I don't know what to make of it. She ran well below her last run which was on good to firm ground. Maybe she is better on faster ground. She did win on soft but that was so ridiculously slow and one of them had to win so I'm not regarding that as "goes well on soft". She was much more emphatic on the faster surface on her second run. Looking at her close up, she doesn't look the racing machine that she was hyped up to be and she was a bit excitable before the race. I will still ignore that race for now and see how she fares next time before drawing any conclusions.

Interesting that my First Season Sire selection in Bustino's comp sired the winner

 

I think you are not giving enough credit to Enable but that's just a difference of opinion and, of course, I accept I am biased. However, re your comment "so on a strict line of handicapping, the runner-up was the better horse" I think we all know that it's not just about lengths per pound and that the best horse won. If they both turn up for the Arc on their best form I think Enable will beat CO more emphatically, and hopefully win the race

The thing is that Enable is as near a perfect specimen in terms of conformation and temperament, and heart, it is difficult to imagine seeing another like her in my lifetime

 

If Enable runs and wins at at York, then wins the Arc she will surpass Frankel's record of 10 GP1'S and equal his record of 14 wins, i think the York race is very doubtful, i hope they keep her just for the ARC when she will have her very own special place in history. The King George was the best i have seen since that epic battle in 1975 between Bustino- Grundy.

 

I was at that race. Unfortunately I did not witness this one on course.

 

What sets enable apart aswell is the fact she has traveled to take on the best, winnings Group 1's in England, Ireland, France and USA.