Awesome Frankel warms up for the QEII in scintillating style

Frankel looks imperious on the Newmarket training grounds yesterday.  Image courtesy of Chris Bourchier.

Rarely has a Flat horse captured the public’s imagination like Frankel has this year.

Unbeaten in eight races and on course for his biggest assignment yet in the £1m Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, by far the richest mile race ever run in Europe and one of the highlghts of QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday 15 October, Frankel is already the stuff of legend.

Looking supremely calm and relaxed despite the posse of TV cameramen and newspaper photograhers surrounding him on the Newmarket training grounds at daybreak yesterday, Frankel looked every inch the superstar.

With his race jockey Tom Queally in the saddle in place of his normal work rider, Shane Fetherstonhaugh, for this key gallop which also featured the other heavyweight contenders for QIPCO British Champions Day that trainer Sir Henry Cecil is set to unleash, Frankel put on a sumptuous display.  

With Queally keeping a tight hold on this perfect thoroughbred specimen, he allowed Frankel to ease effortlessly clear of his two lead horses. 

“I would rather be ahead of time, than trying to catch a train," said Cecil later in the morning when asked how Frankel’s preparation for the richest day in British racing history was going.

"There is nothing worse than to mistime it, find that you are a gallop short and have to put pressure on them before a race.

“I would rather be ahead so I can pull back and keep him fresh and well. So far everything is going very well.

“Physically he has done very well – he looks a stronger horse and is growing up mentally a lot.

“He is a happy horse who used to pull a little bit – he took quite a hold as he is strong horse. Now he is far more relaxed and far easier to train than in the early days."

With three weeks to go, all now seems perfectly set for Frankel to take QIPCO British Champions Day by storm and Cecil is clearly looking forward to the new day which he staunchly supports.

“QIPCO British Champions Day is one of the best things that has come into racing – we need a real champions day. We in Europe have probably got the best racehorses in the world so we should have a really good, top champions meeting for our horses.”

To book tickets via Ascot for QIPCO British Champions Day and take advantage of the 10% advance booking discount, CLICK HERE.