Star fillies serve up hors d'oeuvre as racing awaits Enable's date with destiny

The moment an entire sport has been waiting for is getting closer and closer.

On Sunday the brilliant Enable bids to make history by landing an unprecedented third Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (3.05) at Longchamp.

Most of us have been waiting with bated breath all week to hail one of the best mares – perhaps the best – seen in our lifetime.

Thousands of British race fans will make the annual pilgrimage across the Channel on Sunday hoping to raise the roof on the new Paris stand and roar the odds-on favourite Enable to victory.

The Saturday programme of Arc weekend – the relative calm before the storm – also has a strong focus on fillies.

At Newmarket six-time Group 1 heroine Laurens attempts to end her racing career in a blaze of glory by landing a second successive Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes (3.25).

Meanwhile, at Longchamp, Enable’s trainer John Gosden sends three into battle in the Group 1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu (3.25) – Enbihaar, Lah Ti Dar and Anapurna.

Anapurna (right): Oaks winner could give Frankie Dettori a great Saturday at LongchampCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Gosden’s great ally, the irrepressible Frankie Dettori, is on board Anapurna, but the market suggests Enbihaar, the mount of Jim Crowley and winner of four of her five races this season, including the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster, has the best chance.

Cast your minds back to Oaks day in June, though, and you’ll recall Dettori partnering 8-1 Anapurna, the apparently lesser fancied of Gosden’s two runners – Mehdaayih started 11-4 favourite – to Classic success.

It would be no surprise to see a similar outcome on Saturday, and set Enable’s partner Dettori up for what could prove one of his most memorable days in more than three decades in the saddle.

Laurens bids to go out in blaze of glory

Four of the seven races at Newmarket are for fillies, highlighted by the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes (3.25) in which last year’s winner Laurens aims for one last triumph before embarking on a new career in the paddocks.

The multiple Group 1 winner, who cost £220,000 as a yearling, has proved a wonderful standard bearer for trainer Karl Burke, owner John Dance, and jockey PJ McDonald.

Laurens showed an abundance of class and tenacity to fend off Happily in last year’s Sun Chariot, but arguably faces an even tougher test this time.

Veracious, who finished sixth in 2018, has definitely improved since, and looks to have been specifically trained for this prestigious prize by ace plotter Sir Michael Stoute since gaining a breakthrough Group 1 triumph in the Falmouth Stakes in July.

The unexposed Amanda Perrett-trained Lavender’s Blue comes firmly into the equation after her impressive Atalanta Stakes success at Sandown on only the fourth start of her career.

And with dual 1,000 Guineas heroine Hermosa facing a rematch with Iridessa, the filly who beat her in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown last month – Laurens finished a below-par fourth – this really is a race to get the blood and adrenaline pumping on the eve of the big day.

Don’t you dare miss it.

Summer Sands won’t be 100-1 this time!

Last Saturday the focus was on potentially the greatest Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket for a generation.

The unbeaten Pinatubo, a colossus among the two-year-old ranks this season, may have been absent, but Earthlight, Siskin, Mums Tipple and Threat brought top-class profiles and untapped potential into the Group 1.

Siskin’s withdrawal for unruly behaviour at the start and a disappointing performance from Mums Tipple meant several questions remained unanswered, but there is no doubting a career-best performance from hitherto unheralded Summer Sands, who hugely outran odds of 100-1 to finish third.

Summer Sands (right): the Middle Park third won't be 100-1 at RedcarCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The Richard Fahey-trained colt won’t be anywhere near 100-1 when he lines up for the Racing TV Redcar Two Year Old Trophy (2.55) – in fact, he could start a shade of odds-on – as he tries to land the Cleveland track’s biggest prize of the season.

Nearly 70 millimetres of rain has saturated the Redcar turf over the last seven days, and underfoot conditions are sure to be extremely testing at a venue where fast ground is often the norm.

However, Summer Sands does have one piece of form which would offer hope the soggy terrain won’t prove a hindrance to clinching the £175,000 feature.

The son of Coach House finished a close sixth on soft ground in Royal Ascot’s Listed Windsor Castle Stakes in June and, judged on that superb last-time-out performance, has clearly improved since.

Redcar’s big day also features the £50,000 Listed Racing TV EBF Stallions Guisborough Stakes (3.35), and the popular £45,000 Racing TV Straight-Mile Series Final Handicap. The track ought to receive the bumper crowd it deserves.

De Sousa back in the old routine

Three-time champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa returned to the saddle on Friday after recovering from multiple injuries sustained in a Chelmsford fall in August.

Diagnosis revealed a small fracture to De Sousa’s collarbone and a tiny chip to one of the bones in his lower neck.

Silvestre de Sousa: back from injury with a double stintCredit: Edward Whitaker

Many would expect the Brazilian to take it relatively easy for the first week or so of his return, but the incredible work ethic which has characterised his three title triumphs sees De Sousa involved in a double stint on his second day back.

After five rides at Ascot – where the ground is certain to ride very testing – he travels to Wolverhampton for one mount for Ralph Beckett, Junius Brutus, in a 6f handicap.

Morando, likely to start favourite in the Group 3 Property Raceday Targets £3m Cumberland Lodge Stakes (2.35), finished runner-up on soft ground in Newbury’s Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury in August, and won’t be fazed by the conditions.

He holds excellent claims of giving De Sousa a Saturday winner, although highly progressive Faylaq, who has looked a Group winner in waiting since early summer, should not be underestimated.

Win, lose or draw, you can rest assured De Sousa will be delighted to get back into the old routine.

Armchair guide

1.40 Newmarket
British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap (1m2f)
Scentasia attempts to start what could prove yet another wonderful weekend for John Gosden by following up an impressive Yarmouth success.

2.00 Ascot
UK Hi-Fi Show Live Rous Stakes Listed 5f
Northern-based trainers have won five of the last ten runnings, and last year’s heroine Intense Romance is one of two runners for Michael Dods.

Intense Romance (second right): one of two runners for northern trainer Michael Dods in the Rous Stakes at AscotCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

2.15 Newmarket
£150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes (6f)
Many punters will be focused on the James Tate and Oisin Murphy combination as they team up with likely warm favourite Under The Stars.

2.35 Ascot
Property Raceday Targets £3m Cumberland Lodge Stakes (Group 3 1m4f)
Geoffrey Freer Stakes runner-up Morando tries to give Silvestre de Sousa a Group winner on just his second day back in the saddle after injury.

Racing TV Redcar Two Year Old Trophy Listed (6f)
Middle Park Stakes third Summer Sands holds an outstanding chance on official ratings in Redcar’s biggest race of the year. He faces 17 opponents.

bet365 Challenge Cup (7f)
One of those big-field, straight-track cavalry charges which always produces a keen betting race. The claims of Casanova, a lightly raced improver from a big stable, will no doubt seduce many punters.

3.25 Newmarket
Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes Group 1 (1m)
Laurens bids to go out in a blaze of glory by clinching a seventh Group 1 success. Hermosa, Iridessa, Veracious and Lavender’s Blue provide strong opposition.

3.40 Ascot
John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes (Group 3 6f)
Tabdeed, winner of four of his five starts, puts his burgeoning reputation on the line against the much-improved Cape Byron, who simply adores Ascot's straight track.

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