2nd Performance of the Month vote opens – shoo-in for Frankel?

Frankel first, the rest nowhere in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

Frankel’s awesome demolition job in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, a performance that earned him the highest official rating awarded to a horse in more than 25 years, looks nailed on to win the second QIPCO British Champions Series “Performance of the Month” vote which opens today.

The question is how close can he get to claiming 100% of the vote, which covers the seven Series races run during Royal Ascot?

The expert panel has narrowed it down to three performances – Frankel’s Queen Anne romp, So You Think’s impressive Prince of Wales’s Stakes victory and Black Caviar defying pulled back muscles and jockey error to keep her unbeaten record intact in the Diamond Jubilee.

Anyone who votes will automatically be entered into a free prize draw to win a pair of tickets to an upcoming QIPCO British Champions Series raceday.

Unsurprisingly Frankel was the panel’s unanimous first choice, with ex-England and Manchester United footballer, Michael Owen, saying: “I didn’t think it was possible for Frankel to raise the bar any higher, but his Queen Anne win was just something else. It was a privilege to be there to see it live.”

Channel and Racing UK presenter, Nick Luck, said: “Because we are greedy, we craved a little extra, and that is what Frankel delivered. This was his best performance, achieved in an outstanding time, and left the striking impression that he was just getting going when he broke the finishing line.”

A fine Prince of Wales’s Stakes victory for So You Think, who tackles the next Series race, the Coral-Eclipse, this Saturday, provides a second option for voters.

Sky Sports news presenter, Alex Hammond, said: “He came to the Northern Hemisphere with a huge reputation but despite winning plenty of top class races since, he never quite convinced me that he was ‘all that’. However, his win in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes was, for me, his best performance since joining Aidan O’Brien and it’s a pity he will soon be retired to take up stallion duties.”

Michael Owen said: “Hasn’t always played the role of punters pal but he quickened impressively to chase down Carlton House and if, as expected, he’s off to stud in the near future, this is the performance I will remember him for.”

Black Caviar will provide the third option for voters with Nick Luck, who nominated her in second place, saying: “She doesn’t deserve second place strictly on performance merit, but it is hard to think another international raider will ever have such a profound cultural impact, and the dramatic circumstances of her victory only added to that.”

Alex Hammond said: “She may only just have held on in the Diamond Jubilee, but she deserves plenty of credit for her 22nd win. It transpired that she pulled muscles in the race and she showed plenty of courage and tenacity to scramble home despite her jockey having a temporary lapse of judgement.”

The voting will remain open until 9am next Monday 9 July – CLICK HERE to enjoy watching the races again and to cast your vote now.