Anything less than a perfect replica of the 2000 Guineas was always going to be a disappointment for Frankel fans, but connections issued no cause for alarm as the sport’s shining star took his unbeaten record to seven in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Frankel’s display at Newmarket over six weeks ago, when he had broken his rivals by halfway, still takes the breath away and jockey Tom Queally was even more affirmative here, urging the colt to chase his pacemaker Rerouted and sailing clear before the home turn.
He could not maintain his merciless pace to the line, allowing Zoffany to get within three-quarters of a length, but Queally and trainer Sir Henry Cecil maintained Frankel had merely decided he could take it easy for the final furlong (200m).
News of Cecil’s knighthood only emerged a few days ago and in a sense this was the moment for his public recognition, his 73rd winner at the Royal meeting extending a clear lead over his peers.
Handed his prize by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Cecil was given a typically enthusiastic reception and the whole of Ascot hung on his every word, particularly about Frankel’s next target.
He was circumspect, but outlined that either a potential clash with Canford Cliffs in the Sussex Stakes or a step up to 10 furlongs (2000m) for the Juddmonte International at York were the two races in his thinking.
“He wasn’t at all tired, he just thought he’d done enough,” Cecil said of Frankel, who started the 30-100 favourite.
“That’s good really, it means we can settle him in behind now.
“The plan was to go before the bend, but the pacemaker went off very quickly and Tom really asked him to catch him.
“Tom said he was getting really idle which is good in a way as it means we can ride a normal race on him.
“He strode on in the Royal Lodge here last year, but now he’s getting wiser and he thought he’d done enough. It was just like in the Guineas.”
PA AAP TURF
