Enable and Dettori win Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for second year in a row

Ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori, the four-year-old filly and race favourite did it by a close margin, beating Sea of Class by a short neck to become the first British-trained horse to win Europe’s richest race twice.

Sea of Class came from the back of the field to be denied on the line and take second place, with Cloth of Stars third.

Enable, trained by John Gosden, becomes the eighth horse to win the Arc twice, while Dettori now has six victories in the race to his name.
After two years away at Chantilly, the Arc was back at its spiritual home of Longchamp and was showing off a new €145 million glitzy grandstand, a fine backdrop to the world’s most prestigious Flat race delivering a stunning spectacle.

Enable has missed much of the current campaign through injury following last year’s win, but hopes were high of a big-race double after an impressive comeback with victory at Kempton last month. No previous Arc winner had succeeded on the back of just one run in that calendar year, yet the signs looked good for Gosden as Enable and Dettori led going into and round the home turn whilst the William Haggas-trained Sea Of Class brought up the rear of the 19 runner field.

An unfavourable draw initially saw the latter’s jockey James Doyle pull his mount over to the rail side upon leaving the stalls. It meant the pair were last turning for home, however the daughter of Sea The Stars arrived with her late burst, bypassing everyone except Enable who clung on in the final few yards to take victory; the finish line coming a couple of strides too early for the runner-up.

Speaking afterwards, Gosden said, “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.”

Dettori added, “It was my 30th Arc and I was more nervous than ever, not to mention excited, but in the race I found myself in a fantastic spot.

“It was almighty pressure on all of us – everybody wanted her to win and I had to get it right. It would be very naive to say that I wasn’t nervous.

“What a genius John Gosden is, to win an Arc with that interrupted preparation.”

Gosden indicated the possibility of Enable staying in training in an attempt to become the first horse to win the Arc three times, a final decision of which will be made by owner-breeder Prince Khalid Abdullah.

“It’s great for Prince Khalid. He wanted to come here and if she’s in good form there’s no reason you wouldn’t try to come again,” added Gosden.