Enable 'relaxed' as she stretches her legs for Breeders' Cup run

The first of the European challengers for this year’s Breeders’ Cup were allowed out on to the Churchill Downs track early Monday morning having cleared the regulatory 48 hours in quarantine. All horses appeared to have taken the traveling well and appeared in good spirits.

Roaring Lion (Classic) and Enable (Turf), both trained by John Gosden, did nothing more than head down to the mile chute and circle a few times to stretch their legs before returning to the barn.

Benario de Paiva, who looks after and rides Roaring Lion was very pleased with the 3-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy. “He traveled over really well and since he has been here he has been in great form.”

Imran Shadwani, the regular work rider of Enable also was happy with his filly’s condition.

“She took a day to really get used to being here and I was much happier with her on Sunday and she seemed more relaxed. She was in good form when I sat on her this morning and we may have a canter tomorrow morning but I will have to wait for my instructions.”          

They were both part of a consignment of 23 European horses that arrived slightly later than expected at Churchill Downs at around 1:20 Saturday morning. This shipment was followed later in the day by five horses, all owned by the Maktoum family from Dubai, who arrived in the afternoon and this included last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, Talismanic.

All the Europeans stabled in the quarantine barn went out on to the track this morning with the exception of Pocket Dynamo (Juvenile Turf Sprint).

Lightning Spear (Mile), with trainer’s wife Jennie Simcock in the saddle, took to the main track and looked in great condition and like the Gosden pair went down to the chute to warm up before doing one circuit of the track at a gentle canter.

Ian Russell, traveling head lad for David Simcock said: “He is very happy to be out on the track. It can get a bit scary in the barn when you have a lot of horses just walking round and round because if one gets upset it tends to set the others off.”

There also was some action out on the turf track this morning when 10 overseas horses, including the Andre Fabre-trained duo of Talismanic and Waldgeist, who are both entered in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, stretched their legs around one circuit of the track before heading back to the barn. Talismanic seemed more at ease with his new surroundings.

The Aidan O’Brien team from Ballydoyle, which will include Breeders’ Cup Classic hope Mendelssohn, are expected at Churchill Downs tonight at 7 o’clock but will not be seen out on the track until Thursday morning.