Five of Frankel’s greatest Champions Series wins

Frankel scoots clear of his rivals to land the Sussex Stakes. Pic: Racingfotos.com

To celebrate Frankel’s ninth birthday this Saturday, we recall five of his greatest triumphs in the QIPCO British Champions Series.

April 30, 2011: QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket

Frankel started 1-2 favourite after his reappearance win in the Greenham Stakes a fortnight earlier but nobody expected what came next. Immediately sent to the front by Tom Queally, the combination were a dozen lengths clear at halfway and, despite setting fractions a sprinter would be proud of, never looked like coming back to the field. He won by six lengths from Dubawi Gold.

https://youtu.be/JQajCQ1_BSA

July 27, 2011: Sussex Stakes at Goodwood

The summer showpiece was billed as a Duel on the Downs between Frankel, who was unbeaten, and Canford Cliffs, who came into the race having won five Group 1 races in succession. The duel never materialised, though, with Frankel thumping his year older rival by five lengths. It was an exceptional performance, for all that Canford Cliffs was not at his best.

June 19, 2012: Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot

Frankel started 1-10 favourite for the first race at Royal Ascot in 2012 but, never one for half-measures, delivered perhaps the most spectacular performance of his career. Leading two out, he surged further and further clear and at the line was 11 lengths ahead of old rival Excelebration. The runner-up showed what a stunning effort that was by landing races at the highest level on his next two starts.

August 22, 2012: Juddmonte International Stakes at York

Having carried everything before him over a mile, Frankel was stepped up to ten furlongs for the first time in the race sponsored by his owner, Prince Khalid Abdullah. Initially held up in rear, he swept through to lead two out and accelerated clear. He beat the high-class Farhh by seven lengths – a length more than he had beaten the same rival when landing a second Sussex Stakes on his previous start.

October 20, 2012: QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot

His farewell appearance. Slow away on ground much softer than he had previously encountered, the bookmakers must have harboured early hopes that the horse who started favourite for all 14 of his races might finally fluff his lines. Frankel cruised up the lead a furlong from home, though, and repelled the mud-loving Cirrus Des Aigles, winner of the race the previous year, by a length and three quarters.

Huge thanks to Racing UK for allowing us to embed the above videos.