FRANKIE DETTORI was reduced to tears as Enable made an emotional exit from British racing with a Yorkshire Oaks romp.
The superstar mare went off the 1-4 favourite to land the penultimate race of her career before bidding to go out in a blaze of glory with a record-breaking third victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on 6 October.
And she duly landed the odds, leading from flagfall under Dettori to beat old rival Magical by two and three-quarter lengths and rack up a 10th top-level triumph.
“I’m emotional because she's so good - she’s amazing,” said Dettori, whose mount is now 4-5 for a threesome in Europe’s middle-distance championship.
“I’m really tearful because it’s the last day she'll be running in England so it’s special.
“I feel like I’m getting to know her more and more. When I gave her a little tap, she just put her head down and took off.
“Magical is now slouch, but she felt absolutely tremendous. She was a bit tense today - which perhaps was the crowd - but in the race she was fantastic.
“We’ve still got seven weeks, so we have sleepless nights until then.”
Enable’s trainer John Gosden added: “It was a gorgeous performance from her. She was quick from the gates and there’s no point taking her back, so I said to Frankie, ’If she’s out there, let her float away.’
“She cruised round there and really quickened - she really turned it on.
“If she runs back to what she did in the Arc as a three-year-old, which she looks like she is showing today, she might by tough to beat.”
