Enable Set for Final Arc Prep at Kempton

Enable looks unlikely to face anything like the caliber of opposition she encountered in the 188bet September Stakes (G3) two years ago when she heads back to Kempton Sept. 5 for her final prep ahead of a historic fourth crack at the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1).

When nine entries were revealed on Monday the presence of stablemate and companion-in-colors Logician in the list raised a few pulses, but last season's William Hill St. Leger (G1) hero will not make his belated seasonal reappearance in the Unibet-sponsored group 3.

Logician was unbeaten in five starts at 3 but has not been sighted since storming to success at Doncaster almost a year ago. However, Khalid Abdullah's racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe, scotched any prospect of Logician facing Enable at Kempton. 

"They won't both run and Logician has just been put in there as a precaution," said Grimthorpe.

While the wait goes on for Logician's return, it is all systems go for Enable, who took in the September Stakes after a rushed preparation for her second Arc victory in 2018, on which occasion she had Crystal Ocean to overcome.

While Enable will be the one conceding a penalty this time, with Logician a doubtful runner, her next highest-rated opponent is likely to be Prince of Arran, who is rated 15 pounds inferior to the 11-time group 1 winner.

Grimthorpe said: "It's a nice continuation for Enable following on from the King George (VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, G1) and it's then good timing until the Arc. She's in good form from that point of view."

Last October Enable became just the second horse in the 99-year history of the Arc to even attempt a third success, only to be denied by Waldgeist. 

John Gosden has campaigned her ever since with the sole aim of securing that record-breaking third victory in Europe's premier all-aged middle distance prize and, at the age of 6, she would become the second oldest Arc winner behind Motrico (1932) in the season the race celebrates its centenary. Aside from seeing Enable in action on a British racecourse for what could be the last time, the race looks likely to have a bearing on the Melbourne Cup (G1), with Prince of Arran set to have his final start before heading to quarantine.

Also featuring among the entries are two horses in the ownership of Australian Bloodstock—who tasted success at Flemington in 2014 with the Ryan Moore-partnered Protectionist—in Almania for David Simcock, and the David O'Meara-trained Tinandali.

Discussing Almania, syndicate manager Jamie Lovett told Racing.com: "He'll run against Enable, so we're hoping for a small field. It's a group 3 on the all-weather, so Enable usually does the Winx thing over there and scares them all off; so we just need to run top three to qualify (for the Melbourne Cup). The plan is to run against her and hopefully run a place."