September Stakes: why does Enable run in a Group 3 on the all-weather?

Enable has won 11 Group 1 races, dominated across the world and collected £10.7 million in prize-money for connections – but on Saturday, one of racing's greats goes to Kempton Park for a Group 3 worth £56,000.

Prize-money for the Unibet September Stakes is significantly less than what Enable will be hoping to earn when she goes for a third win in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe; but connections are sure the all-weather race is the perfect preparation for that shot at history.

Enable won this race in 2018, beating her subsequent King George rival Crystal Ocean, before winning in Paris 29 days later and connections confirmed at the start of August she would miss the Yorkshire Oaks – on August 20 – in favour of Kempton.

How did she do it before? Looking back on Enable's previous Arc preparations

Trainer John Gosden said the 45 days from the Yorkshire Oaks to the Arc "does not suit nearly so well" as the 29-day gap from the September Stakes.

Enable would also have taken on Love, the 15-8 Arc favourite after her outstanding season. She does not face any sort of challenger of that calibre at Kempton and Enable's season is all about avenging last year's Arc defeat.

Saturday's race is a far easier test with her biggest threat on ratings Prince Of Arran. It should be a comfortable win for Enable to put her in peak shape for Longchamp.

Enable: on the gallops earlier this weekCredit: Edward Whitaker

Enable's presence is a big boost for the September Stakes which, for a Group 3, has an impressive roll of honour.

Globetrotter Dandino won in 2012, a year before Prince Bishop's back-to-back success en route to Dubai World Cup glory.

Gosden also used the September Stakes as a suitable preparation race for his Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs in 2015, six weeks before he finished third in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Recently, this race has become synonymous with the mighty Enable, and she has lifted the profile of the race again, even on a weekend with Group 1 action at Haydock and Longchamp.

More Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe stories:

Road to the Arc: the main prep races to keep an eye on between now and Longchamp

Enable set for Arc prep at Kempton but Leger hero Logician will head elsewhere

Deirdre connections insist they are still aiming to land Japan's first Arc

Caulfield Cup and Arc on the agenda for exciting colt after big purchase

Public set to be barred from Longchamp for Enable's historic Arc hat-trick bid

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