Enable Beaten on Return

Tara Madgwick - Sunday July 5

The Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes (1m2f)  at Sandown overnight in the UK produced an upset result with the Godolphin entry Ghaiyyath emerging as the winner.

Champion mare Enable is the highest-rated horse in the world and was bidding for her second successive Eclipse and her 11th win at the highest level, but she had to bow to the race fit Ghaiyyath, who surged clear of her under William Buick to win by two and a half lengths.

It was the third win from three starts this year for the Charlie Appleby trained son of Dubawi, who won in Dubai back in February before last start taking out the Group I Coronation Cup at Newmarket.
 


“I have said before he has a huge cruising speed and knows how to use it. The race worked out well - he travelled in a nice rhythm all the way. We were very concerned about Enable and rightly so but it was her first run of the season and we had had two runs and I'm sure she will improve for the race,” said William Buick.

“He is not a horse who wants to be controlled; you just sit against him with his big stride and as Charlie [Appleby] said as a five-year-old he has matured, physically and mentally and become the finished article. I think his best trip will be a mile and a quarter - he is very fast with a high cruising speed and over a mile and a half you are worried the last furlong is going to be a long one.”

Ghaiyyath wins the Coral Eclipse - image Godolphin Twitter
A 1.1million euro yearling purchase from Goffs for Godolphin, five year-old Ghaiyyath has the overall record of eight wins and two placings from 11 starts.

By Dubawi from a daughter of Galileo, Ghaiyyath is a half-brother to Fastnet Rock’s Group I winner Zhukova and is the best of five winners from Group I Irish Thousand Guineas winner Nightime.

Nightime has a half-sister called Mermaid Island (IRE) that has gone to stud here in Australia and left a number of winners including stakes-winner Ondina.



The Dubawi x Galileo nick is becoming a very successful one appearing in the pedigrees of 15 stakes-winners with Ghaiyyath one of three Group I winners bred this way joining Night of Thunder and Dream Castle.

The stakes-winner to runner strike rate is 9.8% and if we look at it more specifically with just Dubawi over daughters of Galileo the stats improve to 20% stakes-winners to runners.

Footnote: Connections of Enable were well satisfied with her return.

“Enable has run a magnificent race and definitely tired in the last furlong, Frankie (Dettori)  was thrilled with her and said her behaviour was all positive - she didn't worry or sweat up before the race,” said her trainer John Gosden.

“There is a deep sense of relief and it's a nice platform to go for the King George now. There was never really any intention of keeping her in training at six but she is still in training because we got the tactics wrong in the Arc. We chased Ghaiyyath and he went for home in the false straight which is a no-no and we went far too hard too soon and walked the last 200 metres. I have been very open with everybody about it - she is an older mare now, not a three-year-old filly and getting to her racing weight has been a little bit of a struggle for her.”

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Make That a Dozen Winners for Farnan
Kia Ora Stud’s Farnan added a new winner to his tally on Sunday at Seymour where Blethyn saluted as a short priced favourite.
Written By 3YO Claims Second Stakes Victory
Talented three year old Wind And The Lion (Written By) made a welcome return to form when he claimed the second stakes win of his career in the Listed HG Bolton Sprint 1200m at Bunbury yesterday and comes from a famous female family steeped in history .
Sires With Winners - Friday July 18
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Sunday July 20
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Two to Black Book for Darby Racing
Darby Racing celebrated another feature race win with their savvy $160,000 Inglis Digital purchase Robusto in the Listed ATC Winter Challenge at Rosehill on Saturday and in his post-race interview Bjorn Baker revealed they had purchased two new tried horses last week, so who are they?
2.4million Frankel Stallion Wins G2 Minstrel
He cost 2.4million guineas as a yearling and is one of the most eye-catching horses you would ever see, so of course we’re going to do a story when he wins a G2!
Lucky Magic (NZ) Sparkles in Selangor Mile
Karaka graduate Lucky Magic (NZ) (Mendelssohn) secured a place in Malaysian racing history on Sunday with a triumph in the inaugural RM$1m Selangor Mile (1600m).
Melbourne Cup Contender for Wootton Bassett
Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) has been doing a lot of amazing things this year and he might just have a Melbourne Cup contender with the Joseph O’Brien trained Al Riffa putting himself in the picture with a facile five length win in the Group II Curragh Cup (1m6f) overnight.
$1million Mehmas a Stakes-Winner for Godolphin
One of the big ticket purchases for Godolphin at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last year was the half-brother to triple Group I winner Perfect Power by Mehmas and this 1million guinea purchase opened his stakes account overnight in the UK.
Spring Stars First Trials Coming Up Tuesday
The Randwick barrier trials on Tuesday morning will give us the first look at some big guns tuning up for the spring racing with seven Group One winners entered, and some rising three year-old big race hopefuls.