THE WORLD’S TOP racehorse Frankel left his rivals trailing in his wake as he won Wednesday’s Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood to notch up his 12th win in a row.
Five weeks after setting Royal Ascot alight with a scintillating victory in the Queen Anne Stakes the four-year-old, trained by Sir Henry Cecil – who missed the meeting as he is having cancer treatment – and ridden by Tom Queally, once again proved too hot to handle, cruising home to net the £300,000 ($470,000) prize.
The colt, owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah, saw off second favourite Farhh, ridden by Frankie Dettori, raced past the post with five lengths to spare to take his prizemoney to the £2 million mark as he kept going a streak which began with victory two years ago at Newmarket.
He also won last year’s Sussex Stakes in beating Canford Cliffs by five lengths.
Queally told reporters after dismounting: “Every moment spent on his back is a special moment and today was no different.
“He’s a class apart from anything else at the moment, he does it all very easily therefore I have a very easy job, all I have to do is steer. These are magic moments and it’s great to be part of it.”
Frankel next heads to York for a 10-furlongs Juddmonte International Stakes meeting in three weeks time.
Despite being last into the starting gate, Frankel soon began to dominate the four-strong field and although Farhh challenged gamely Frankel powered through to the line as he galloped strongly through the final two furlongs to leave the rest trailing.
Frankel becomes only the second colt to win seven Group One races in consecutive starts, equalling Rock of Gibraltar’s 2002 mark.
Teddy Grimthorpe, Abdullah’s racing manager, said afterwards: “Tom let him roll down the hill and then let out a few inches of rein, then he just quickened as he does which is so fantastic – he put it to bed in a few strides, which is him.
“Henry and everyone at Warren Place have done a fantastic job, it’s been a great effort to get him spot on.
Frankel is also lined up for the Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 20 but could also be entered for the Moulin at Longchamp on September 16, Grimthorpe revealed.
(c) AFP, 2012
