Turf Talk: Trainer John Gosden weighs up options for Enbihaar

Trainer, John Gosden. PIC: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

The Newmarket handler has yet to decide if he will send the daughter of Redoute’s Choice straight to the recently-upgraded Group One contest or use next month’s DFS Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster as a stepping stone.

Returning to winning ways with a hard-fought victory in the Lancashire Oaks on her penultimate start, the Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned four-year-old followed up with a decisive success in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood.

Gosden said: “Enbihaar is in good form. It was a good victory at Goodwood last time out and she is a lovely filly that is improving with age.

Espoir DAllen, ridden by Mark Walsh, enters the winners enclosure after winning the Unibet Champion Hurdle during Champion Day of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival. PIC: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

“The Prix de Royallieu is the big target for her, it is just a case of whether we run between now and then.

“The only real place she can go is the Park Stakes, but that is a Group Two so she would be carrying a penalty again.”

n Champion Hurdle winner Espoir D’Allen is unlikely to run in the 2019-20 National Hunt season after an accident at home.

A surprise winner at Cheltenham in March, the Gavin Cromwell-trained five-year-old has nevertheless won eight of his nine starts over hurdles to date.

Espoir D’Allen took a fall when returning to the yard from the gallops last week and is currently in Fethard Equine Hospital where he continues to be assessed.

Owner JP McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry said: “Unfortunately he reared over when he got spooked on his way back to the yard last week.

“It looks like he’ll be out for the season. Hopefully we’ll know a bit more by the end of the week.”

Berry added: “It’s a real blow for Gavin and his team who did so well with him last season.

“I suppose if there’s any saving grace in all this, it is that he’s only a five-year-old, he’s young enough to be given plenty of time.”

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