Superlatives continue to flow for Frankel following the champion’s win in the Sussex Stakes.
An end to an unbeaten streak of 11 was considered so unlikely Frankel was the 1-20 favourite, even if the presence of Farhh in the four-strong field was supposed to provide him with his biggest test this year.
But Eclipse runner-up Farhh was dismantled with ruthless efficiency.
Jockey Tom Queally has Frankel behind the team’s pacemaker Bullet Train until the final two furlongs (400m) and even allowed himself a nonchalant look between his legs to see where his rival was.
The majestic four-year-old pulled clear to post a winning margin of six lengths.
Neither of the other two men integral to this equine success story were present with trainer Sir Henry Cecil avoiding potential infection after cancer treatment and owner-breeder Prince Khalid Abdullah in hospital with a back problem.
However, the Prince’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe provided heartfelt words for both.
“We have all come into racing for these incredible, exceptional horses. We all want to enjoy him,” Grimthorpe said.
“Henry is just the most exceptional trainer. His re-emergence is one of the great sporting stories, full-stop. To come from where he’s come and back again is truly, truly remarkable and we couldn’t be luckier to have the horse in such good hands.
“The world-class trainers have that feel of a horse and Henry has a firm idea of where he’s going and what he wants to do.
“Prince Khalid has had a back operation and is recuperating from that in Los Angeles. I know he’ll have been watching.”
Asked if Frankel could be even better over 10 furlongs, Queally said there was no reason why not.
“I don’t know. How much better do you want him to get? He’s turning Group Ones into absolute processions,” he said.
“If he’s as good as he is now that should be good enough I’d say.”
That first 10-furlong assignment will come in the Juddmonte International at York on August 22 and Grimthorpe says racegoers will see Frankel three times more, at the most.
“Henry was very firm in his view that he wanted to use this race as a stepping stone for the Juddmonte and everything fell into place nicely,” he said.
“Obviously the two main races left for him are the Juddmonte and the Champion Stakes (at Ascot on October 20), but there are nearly two months between them and Henry may decide he should run in a race like the Moulin (at Longchamp on September 16).”
Sheikh Mohammed had made a sporting decision to supplement Farhh and there were no excuses from his camp.
“We weren’t expecting to win but he’s run a good race,” Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: .
“The winner was much too good, as we knew beforehand. We didn’t need to wait until the race to find that out.”
