Marco Botti is seriously considering giving Excelebration a second crack at Frankel following his colt’s fine win in the German 2000 Guineas.
The St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he would meet Frankel, and the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly are the two races Botti has in mind for the son of Exceed And Excel.
Excelebration was put in his place by Henry Cecil’s brilliant colt in the Greenham Stakes but was still clearly second best, just four lengths behind the subsequent superb winner of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
The Botti inmate went on to enjoy an easy Classic victory of his own in Cologne and will now be given the chance of success at the highest level.
“He looks in good order and took the race in Germany well,” Botti said.
“He’s not done a lot since he came back, just steady cantering. He’s just had a quiet week, he’s been ticking over.
“He’s eating well and hasn’t lost any weight, so we’re very happy with him.
“Ascot is a possibility. Obviously the St James’s Palace could be the next target. We haven’t ruled out the Jean Prat in France at the beginning of July. Those are the two races we have in mind.
“We are strongly considering the St James’s Palace when we would have to take on Frankel again.
“But those two races are the only ones like that left just for three-year-olds.
“If he’s fine he will go for one or the other. At the moment we are leaning towards Ascot rather than France because I would prefer not to take him abroad again, but we will just see how he is in the next couple of weeks.”
PA AAP TURF
