Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) are set to lead a strong team for champion trainer John Gosden at York next week. The brilliant Enable is on course for the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks on the Thursday of the four-day Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival, with Stradivarius once more in line for the £-1million Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' bonus if he can win the G2 Lonsdale Cup on the Friday. The Khalid Abdullah-owned mare has already won the G1 Coral-Eclipse and G1King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. this season.
Gosden said, “She has had a nice easy time since the King George. She just did a breeze on her own with Frankie [Dettori] on her on Saturday–into a strong headwind, so they just did a nice quiet bit. She'll pick up again in her work this week, but she is out there enjoying herself, looking well and moving nicely.
Lord Lloyd-Webber's G2 Middleton Fillies' S. winner & MG1SP La Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) could be in opposition to Enable, with Gosden adding, “Lah Ti Dar may well be in the Oaks as well. The owner-breeders are very keen to run her–they've been wanting to run her in the race all year, so I'm sure that's where she'll probably be going. She is training nicely.”
Like last year, Stradivarius will arrive on the Knavesmire on the back of victories in the Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup.
Gosden said, “He is as cheeky as ever. He is full of himself, a very happy horse. He is training up nicely for the race. Obviously, the Goodwood Cup was not that long ago, so we come into the Lonsdale just trying to keep the freshness in him.
“He probably had tougher races coming through last year–the Gold Cup last year was a formidable race, whereas they probably didn't go as hard this year. Therefore, for him, it didn't drain him so much.”
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