Enable pointed at Sandown in preparation for Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe defence

The daughter of Nathaniel was just denied in her bid for an historic third consecutive victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Less than a fortnight later, Enable’s owner-breeder Khalid Abdullah delighted racing fans by confirming his charge would stay in training as a six-year-old – with a return to Paris in the autumn top of the agenda.

Connections decided against an appearance at Royal Ascot, but the owner’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe reports the John Gosden-trained mare to be firmly on course for the Eclipse on July 5 following a pleasing workout under Frankie Dettori.

“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,” said Grimthorpe, who is also chairman of York Racecourse.

“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 en route to the Arc last year – and a similar campaign may be in the offing.

Grimthorpe added: “She’s coming (to hand).

“I think Prince Khalid is happy that we go to the Eclipse. She’s been in good form.

“I think it’s fair to say she will build-up towards the Arc. How she gets there will be up to her and John. I imagine it will be a fairly similar pattern (to last year).”

Meanwhile, the breeding rights for Siskin, the imperious winner of last week’s Irish 2000 Guineas, have been sold. However, the horse will continue to race in Prince Khald’s colours, said Grimthorpe.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor