Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) will attempt a Classic double and line up for the G1 Irish Oaks on July 15, Teddy Grimthorpe confirmed on Wednesday. Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner/breeder Khalid Abdullah, said, “She has come out of the race really well and John Gosden is very pleased with her and she looks in good form. We will look towards the Irish Oaks now. The [G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S.] is a long way away and obviously we will look at the various options, but at the moment she will go for the Irish Oaks.”
Reflecting on Enable's five-length defeat of last year's G1 Fillies' Mile winner Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Grimthorpe added, “She showed a huge amount of class and ran unbelievably well to beat a top-class filly. We expected a big run from her as we were confident that she would stay, so, to that extent, it was not a great surprise. If you win a Classic by five lengths, though, that has got to be very unexpected and is one for the very-pleasant-surprise box.”
Juddmonte will shoot for another Oaks double when its unbeaten G3 Musidora S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Shutter Speed (GB) (Dansili {GB}) lines up in the June 18 G1 Prix de Diane.
“Shutter Speed is in good shape after the Musidora and heads for the Diane the Sunday before Royal Ascot,” Grimthorpe said. “We have won four out of the five Oaks trials this season and obviously we have converted one. It would be nice now if we could convert another.”
Another of those Oaks trial winners was Natavia (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who won Newbury's Listed Fillies' Trial S. on May 20 but trailed home last in the Oaks.
“We are a bit mystified by her,” Grimthorpe said. “She seemed to be traveling well. Possibly she didn't stay or possibly she didn't handle the downhill part of the race. She was going well until the top of Tattenham Corner then all of a sudden she was off the bridle struggling. We will give her a bit of a break.”
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