PARIS (AP) — Enable held off a late charge from Sea Of Class to successfully defend her crown at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe by a neck on Sunday with Frankie Dettori riding his record sixth winner in Europe's richest race.
Trained by John Gosden, the four-year-old filly was a heavy favorite to become the eighth two-time winner of the Arc.
Enable was always traveling strongly at Longchamp on the heels of the leaders and the packed grandstands roared as she hit the front.
In contrast, having been drawn out wide, the William Haggas-trained Sea Of Class was dropped out last by James Doyle and was still a long way off the pace rounding the home turn.
Sea Of Class rattled home once in the clear to set up an epic finish, but Enable had just enough to claim a popular victory in Europe's premier middle-distance race.
Cloth Of Stars was third.
Dettori also won the race with Enable at Chantilly last season, adding to the Italian's previous triumphs aboard Lammtarra (1995), Sakhee (2001), Marienbard (2002) and Golden Horn (2015).
Having missed much of the season through injury, Enable had endured a far from ideal preparation for her Arc defense.
"What a genius John Gosden is, to win an Arc with that interrupted preparation," Dettori said. "In the last 50 yards we were on our hands and knees, I was trying to squeeze everything we could out of her and we got there."
Dettori was riding in the race for the 30th time.
Gosden raised the possibility of Enable staying in training as a five-year-old in a bid to become the first horse to win the Arc three times.
"It's great for (owner) Prince Khalid (Abdullah)," Gosden said. "He wanted to come here and if she's in good form there's no reason you wouldn't try to come again."
