Despite high hopes and hype, Enable, ridden by Frankie Dettori, failed to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for a third time. Enable lost to Waldgeist with rider Pierre-Charles Boudot. Enable had won the event in 2017 and 2018, and there was much thought as to the horse winning it for a record third time, something which is quite rare for horses.

The winning horse, Waldgeist, had as its trainer, the renowned Andre Fabre, who, by today’s event, would have eight Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe to his name. That is something very remarkable.

Enable has been everyone’s choice to win, The event seemed somehow anticlimactic, probably due to the weather, and how soft the ground was, with various upsets. As far as the records go, Waldgeist had never done well against Enable as, before today, it has lost in all three of their past meetings, including last year when it emerged fourth.

Winning the event for a third time would have been record-breaking, indeed. Only eight horses have ever won it twice. However, one horse, Treve, had tried to compete for it for a third time but lost to Golden Horn, which was ridden by Frankie Dettori, the same Dettori that rode Enable today.

This would be Enable’s second loss ever since, as it had always been victorious. If the five-year-old horse would ever get a shot at racing again would be decided by its owner, Saudi Prince Khalid Abdullah. Although be seemed quite impressed when speaking with newsmen after the match, and he recognized the strength of his horse. Even Fabre was a little surprised that Waldgeist could “beat such a fantastic mare,” while also acknowledging the problem with the ground.

Enable has not been a bad horse, as it had proven these past years. Today’s defeat may be hinged on other things, like age, and the softness of the ground. Still, despite losing today, no one can deny that the horse has always been a star. The chances are that it may get retired. Even Waldgeist may get retired despite having won $2,857,000 in prize money.

 
 
Written by: Leon Osamor