Enable to bid to become dual Classic winner in Irish Oaks

John Gosden’s charge ready to follow up Epsom victory at the Curragh equivalent

Frankie Dettori on Enable wins the Investec Oaks at Epsom. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Livepic/ Reuters
Frankie Dettori on Enable wins the Investec Oaks at Epsom. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Livepic/ Reuters

Enable will attempt to become a dual Classic winner in the Darley Irish Oaks next month.

The John Gosden-trained daughter of Nathaniel is being readied to follow up her victory in the Epsom Oaks last Friday in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh on July 15th.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Khalid Abdullah, said: "She has come out of the race really well and John Gosden is very pleased with her and she looks in good form.

“We will look towards the Irish Oaks now. The King George is a long way away and obviously we will look at the various options, but at the moment she will go for the Irish Oaks.”

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While Grimthorpe was not surprised by Enable’s victory in the mile-and-a-half Group One he was taken back by the manner in which it was achieved.

He added: “She showed a huge amount of class and ran unbelievably well to beat a top-class filly [Rhododendron].

“We expected a big run from her as we were confident that she would stay, so, to that extent, it was not a great surprise.If you win a Classic by five lengths, though, that has got to be very unexpected and is one for the very-pleasant-surprise box.”

Stablemate Shutter Speed will try to maintain her unbeaten record in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly on June 18th after she brilliantly won the Musidora at York.

Grimthorpe said: “Shutter Speed is in good shape after the Musidora and heads for the Diane the Sunday before Royal Ascot. We have won four out of the five Oaks trials this season and obviously we have converted one. It would be nice now if we could convert another.”

The Roger Charlton-trained Natavia also runs in the famous Abdullah silks but will be given a short break after she trailed home last in the Oaks.

Grimthorpe added: “We are a bit mystified by her. She seemed to be travelling well. Possibly she didn’t stay or possibly she didn’t handle the downhill part of the race.

“She was going well until the top of Tattenham Corner then all of a sudden she was off the bridle struggling. We will give her a bit of a break.”

Bright prospect

Michael O’Callaghan is excited at the prospect of Night Of Glory tackling a mile and a half for the first time in the King George V Cup at Leopardstown on Thursday.

The son of Sea The Stars looked a bright prospect when opening his account by three lengths in a 10-furlong maiden at the Curragh a month ago.

The form has been franked by the runner-up, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Wisconsin, who has gone on to win his only subsequent start.

“He won his maiden very well and the form has worked out well since,” said O’Callaghan. It was a good maiden he won at the Curragh and Wisconsin has won since.

"He's crying out for the step up in trip to a mile and a half. It should suit him, Shane Foley rides him and he'll run a big race, fingers crossed."

Night Of Glory, who is entered in both the King Edward VII Stakes and Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, will face six rivals including two from the Ger Lyons stable – Brutal and Percy.

Jessica Harrington’s Grandee, O’Brien’s Finn McCool and Martin Hassett’s Three Jacks meet again after finishing second, third and seventh respectively behind Naughty Or Nice in a Listed contest at Navan last month.

Completing the line-up is the Dermot Weld-trained filly Eziyra, who is making her seasonal debut.