Enable returning to the racecourse in tremendous style after an 11-month absence to win Kempton’s 118Bet September Stakes by thee-and-a-half lengths on route to defending her Arc crown at Longchamp for which she is now 13/8 – trainer John Gosden described her as only 80% fit
John Gosden collecting a second ‘black type’ race at Kempton with Kessaar winning the Group 3 118Bet Casino Stakes ridden by Kieran O’Neill who was winning his first group race for Gosden having already won 50 races for the yard this year
Oisin Murphy continuing his rich purple patch by winning the 32Red Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock on The Tin Man who was second in 2016 and third last year – it was Murphy’s fourth Group 1 victory of the season
Noel Fehily winning at Listowel on his third ride back after a serious neck injury at Punchestown put him on the side-lines in the spring
Paddy Mathers riding a double at Thirsk
Oisin Murphy riding a double at Salisbury on his 23rd birthday
STEWARDS ROOM
…and what hasn’t been so good
Chafer grubs causing damage to the Epsom track resulting in the cancellation of Thursday’s meeting
Fire breaking out in Huntingdon’s grand stand causing the safe evacuation of the building – nobody was hurt and forthcoming fixtures are not at risk
A light aircraft carrying trainer Richard Hannon, his wife Anna Lisa, his twin brother Henry and apprentice Gary Mahon skidding when landing at Haydock and colliding with an empty plane which had already brought Sir Michael Stoute, Ryan Moore and Gerard Mosse to the track – nobody was hurt but both planes were grounded. The poor conditions had already prevented Frankie Dettori from travelling by helicopter from Kempton
Industrial action resulting in no trains to Kempton Park hindering racegoers who wanted to see Enable, and no bus replacement service organised by the racecourse from the nearest operational station – despite the difficulties the crowd was up 10%
Changes to the race conditions preventing last year’s Cesarewitch winner Withhold from running this year – runners must now have run in at least two races at one-and-a-half miles or more since April but Withhold has only run in one such race
Apprentice Paddy Bradley suffering ligament injuries after a stalls incident at Goodwood and having to sit out racing the next day when his intended ride, Hackbridge, was ridden to victory by Hector Crouch
Racegoers at Salisbury being unable to bet on the Tote due to network router failing – a replacement router shipped from Cheltenham but also failed meaning pool betting was down all afternoon