Frankel’s date with destiny

Image sourced from racingfotos.com

The red hot QIPCO 2000 Guineas favourite, Frankel, will face a maximum of 12 opponents when he lines up for his date with destiny in the opening race in the QIPCO British Champions Series at 3.10pm on Saturday afternoon on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile racecourse.

The unbeaten colt, who has won all his five races to date with ease, is already being hailed by many as a superstar of the turf. But until he proves his talent and class in a race of this stature (the QIPCO 2000 Guineas was the highest rated mile race in the world last year), such eulogies are premature.

And the opposition looks plenty strong enough to exploit any chinks in his armour.

At the head of those most likely to test the Henry Cecil-trained, Tom Queally-ridden favourite are the Irish raiders Pathfork and Roderic O’Connor, while Native Khan, Fury and Frankie Dettori’s mount, Casamento, all look to be high class rivals to fear in Newmarket’s most eagerly anticipated race of the year.

Pathfork in unbeaten in three races last year and is reported in fantastic shape by his trainer, Jessica Harrington, while Roderic O’Connor hails from Aidan O’Brien’s powerful stable and is the mount of Ryan Moore.

Native Khan was impressive on his recent reappearance at Newmarket and will be ridden for the first time by French ace Olivier Peslier.

Fury, the mount of Johnny Murtagh, is another unbeaten colt with a big home reputation, while Casamento has been pleasing Sheikh Mohammed on the gallops and, though seen as potentially better suited to the mile-and-a-half of the Investec Derby, could have enough speed for the one mile QIPCO 2000 Guineas.

It promises to be a corker of a race! Can Frankel, who is likely to start the hottest favourite for the first Classic race of the season since Nijinsky 41 years ago, extend his brilliant unbeaten record to six races in and launch the QIPCO British Champions Series in style?

If you can make it to Newmarket on Saturday, you have a fantastic experience in store! The atmosphere will be electric as the race unfolds on one of the most historic stretches of turf in the entire world of sport.

Tickets, which start at £10, are still available and will be on sale at the gate. All accompanied children aged under 18 are admitted free.

If you can’t make it, then catch all the action live on Channel 4 or the satellite subscription channel, Racing UK. The QIPCO 2000 Guineas is due off at 3.10pm, but don’t miss all the build-up from 1.55pm. 

QIPCO 2000 Guineas, 1 Mile, Rowley Mile, Newmarket, Saturday 30 April, 3.10 PM