ENABLE was brilliant. There was always a chance that she would do what she did, and those of us who fielded against her at even money (sheepish look) knew from very early in the race that she was far more likely to win than to lose.

She had the early pace to adopt a position, she had the class to travel easily just behind the pace, and then she had that turn of foot, the one that we had seen at the Curragh and at Epsom and at Ascot. She has it all, and she produced everything on the biggest day, on the greatest stage, in a fast time.

Nobody has said yet that she has nothing left to prove, and that’s a good thing, because she does. She has to prove that she can go and do it again, giving weight to the youngsters as opposed to receiving weight from her elders. And perhaps again. No horse has ever won the Arc three times.

Maybe that’s greedy, and let’s get her confirmed as staying in training for 2018 before we start thinking about 2019. For sure.

THE FUTURE

You would be surprised if she did not stay in training as a four-year-old. Trainer John Gosden said that he would love to have her back next year, back to try to win the first Arc run at the all-new revamped Longchamp, and Frankie Dettori squealed with delight at the prospect.

More importantly, owner Khalid Abdullah – for it is he who pays the piper – is a breeding man, but he is also a racing man. Who knows what the deciding factor was in keeping Frankel in training as a four-year-old, but he did, and he gained just rewards.

Frankel won the Lockinge Stakes, the Queen Anne Stakes, the Sussex Stakes, the Juddmonte International and the Champion Stakes as a four-year-old, and went to stud unbeaten in 14 as opposed to unbeaten in nine.

The opportunity cost of postponing the stud career of Frankel, a colt, is obviously far higher than the opportunity cost of postponing the stud career of Enable, a filly, who can produce a maximum of one foal per year, talented and all though she is.

Racing’s gain would be significant, and the owner obviously recognises that. Enable has wheedled her way into the public’s consciousness. It has been a gradual process, but she is there now. She is mainstream.

Reports of her progress during the winter would be newsworthy, speculation on the stepping stones of a 2018 campaign would be of interest. Speculation on which stallion she would visit just wouldn’t have the same appeal.

She is of interest now to the sports fan, not just to the racing fan. Multiply that interest by Frankie Dettori, and now you’re box office.