Ghaiyyath in top condition as Appleby eyes Enable rematch

Charlie Appleby is pleased with the post-race condition of brilliant Coronation Cup winner Ghaiyyath and has confirmed a possible clash with Enable in the Coral-Eclipse as his next target.

Ghaiyyath galloped a strong field including Stradivarius, last year's Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck and Defoe into submission on the Rowley Mile on Friday, never looking like being caught during his two-and-a-half length win.

Speaking on The Opening Show on ITV, Appleby announced Ghaiyyath has come out of the race well and is on course to run at Sandown next month, a Group 1 which will not be open to the Classic generation this year.

Appleby said: "We were delighted with that performance and it was a great ride by William [Buick].

"The horse has come out of the race very well. As a rule and as we've said in the past, when he puts up these performances it does take the edge off him, but he only lost five kilos for the run, he went straight into his feed last night and he's been out and had a jog this morning.

Frankie Dettori celebrates after winning last year's Coral-Eclipse on EnableCredit: Edward Whitaker

"His post-race condition is good and the plan is we will look towards the Coral-Eclipse."

The trainer's upbeat bulletin has seen Ghaiyyath's price trimmed for the Coral-Eclipse, with most bookmakers pricing him up at 6-1. He had been as big as 20-1 before his Coronation Cup performance.

The colt could only manage tenth the first time he locked horns with Enable in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a race in which the star mare finished second to Waldgeist.

John Gosden revealed earlier this week that the two-time Arc heroine's comeback target is once again the Coral-Eclipse, a race she won last year when beating Magical by three-quarters of a length. She is generally available at evens for this year's race.

Enable v Ghaiyyath: the numbers

Enable

Age: 6
Races: 15
Wins: 13
Group 1 wins: 10
Prize-money: £10,411,973

Ghaiyyath

Age: 5
Races: 10
Wins: 7
Group 1 wins: 2
Prize-money: £461,433

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