Frankel is the best in the world!

Frankel in full flow in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes.  Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

Frankel treated a bumper Goodwood crowd to a performance they will never forget in this afternoon’s QIPCO Sussex Stakes, the fifth race in the QIPCO British Champions Series Mile division.

Settled beautifully in front by Tom Queally, Frankel always travelled sweetly, tracked by his great rival, Canford Cliffs. 

Canford Cliffs was in trouble fully two and half furlongs from home, Richard Hughes asking his mount to keep tabs on the long-striding Frankel to no avail.

With just over a furlong to run, Tom Queally set Frankel alight, asking him for maximum effort. The response was immediate and Frankel surged clear, passing the winning line in splendid isolation, five lengths clear of Canford Cliffs with Rio De La Plata and Rajsaman behind.

Frankel’s awesome performance will make him the best horse in the world this year when his revised official rating is revealed next week.

Rated joint top with crack Australian sprinter Black Caviar going into the race, he is likely to be rated a minimum of 132 as a result of today’s demolition job, which extended his unbeaten career record to eight races.

Dominic Gardiner-Hill, the BHA’s senior mile handicapper, said: “My initial reaction is that this performance will undoubtedly put him top of the world rankings. He’s proven today that he’s a 130+ horse.

“In my opinion he is worth at least 132 and very possibly more, but this will have to be discussed with our international colleagues before his position in the World Thoroughbred Rankings is confirmed.”

Winning trainer Sir Henry Cecil confirmed that his star colt will now have a rest before returning for his big end-of-season target on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot – the £1m Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, by far the richest mile race ever run in Europe.

Today’s victory took Cecil to the top of the QIPCO British Champions Series trainers’ table with four winners, one clear of Aidan O’Brien, while it enabled Frankel’s rider, Tom Queally, to move two winners clear of his rivals at the top of the jockeys’ table.