Frankel’s younger brother Noble Mission and the admirable mare Chachamaidee combined to give Sir Henry Cecil a Group race double on the opening afternoon of the Goodwood carnival.
All that was missing was the master trainer himself, who has been susceptible to other illness due to his ongoing treatment for cancer, but the stable’s runners had been perfectly primed to cover themselves in glory.
Noble Mission continued to establish himself as a useful performer in his own right with a courageous victory over Encke in the Gordon Stakes.
He will forever be overshadowed by his exceptional sibling but an opportunity of a Classic challenge in the St Leger remains in the pipeline.
Noble Mission may have to re-enact his compelling battle with Encke in the Voltigeur Stakes on August 22 before being allowed a shot at Camelot at Doncaster, and the Godolphin runner emerged with great credit himself as he was only beaten by a nose.
Noble Mission (11-4) needed to be stoked up by jockey Tom Queally before he took aim at Encke but they were alongside each other for almost two furlongs (400m) and scarcely separated at the post.
“I think Henry would want to take him to the Great Voltigeur at York just to test those (Leger) credentials but in principle I think that (the Leger) would be the idea, yes,” Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, said.
“I think he looked more the finished article today, and he’s certainly matured – not only mentally but physically as well.”
John Gosden’s 6-4 favourite Michelangelo finished third but the trainer said he was still on target for the St Leger.
Chachamaidee, who won a Group Three fillies’ race at Goodwood last year, confirmed her liking for the Sussex Downs against her male counterparts in the Lennox Stakes.
Penalised for a slow start when denied by Joviality in the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot, the 5-4 favourite walked out of the stalls again but was able to use her sparkling turn of foot register a length and a half defeat of Libranno.
Cecil’s wife Jane provided an update on the ever-popular trainer.
“Because of the treatment, his immunity is not as robust, so he’s just being sensible and staying at home,” she said.
“Hopefully he’ll build his resistance back up.”
