IT’S TIME to say ‘goodbye’ to two fantastic horses this week in Enable and Pinatubo.
But in what guise do they make my latest Good, Bad and Ugly column? Let’s find out…
Good
Enable fills this part of the column loud and bold, and it’s so important she’s remembered for the good times, rather than two comprehensive Arc defeats.
Now let’s get something straight. In terms of rating Enable has never been a super star even comparable with the likes of Frankel.
But, and this is the crucial fact, her achievements are the stuff of legends and her longevity a joy to behold. We have all loved Enable. Every one of us.
There is not a racing fan in the world who does not think she has been a monster of the turf. As you all know by now, Enable became the first horse to land three King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
Yes, her success this season was a hollow one, but she still achieved history and that’s special.
But for me her greatest success was in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, when Coolmore did their best to muck her up on the way round and she still went on to destroy Magical with Waldgeist, a future Arc winner over Enable, miles away in fifth place.
Enable has been great for this fabulous sport. I thank her, her fantastic trainer John Gosden, her loved up jockey Frankie Dettori and owner Prince Khalid Abdullah for the good times.
BAD
Why the hell has Pinatubo been retired? One person suggested to me it’s because owner Sheikh Mohammed is unable to come to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup. If that is the case then it’s just so disappointing.
Pinatubo was a great juvenile and seriously good three-year-old, where he landed a Group 1 but looked like a horse who had so much more to give.
The Breeders’ Cup Mile was the perfect race for him, and it’s bad bad bad he’s not going to run in it.
I’m absolutely gutted Pinatubo has been shovelled off to stud far too soon. Gosh I’m annoyed!
UGLY
Nicky Henderson is going to have to play ugly this term to keep his title as champion trainer.
There is no doubt the former main man Paul Nicholls has a massively strong hand to play this term and he’s out the blocks and running after a terrific weekend at Chepstow where, in particular, McFabulous looked just that!
Harry Cobden is also riding out of his skin and looks to have a chance of landing the jockeys’ championship for the first time.
Hendo is not a man to lie down lightly, and a Hendo v Nicholls battle will surely emerge as one of the features of an exciting jumps campaign. Only two months until the King George at Kempton. Yeeehaaa!
