Sunday's Racing Post reported that Frankel appears unlikely to race at Breeders' Cup in November, with connections favouring Champions Day instead. Article: Champions Day 1, Breeders' Cup 0. That appeared to be the scoreline yesterdqay as far as Frankel is concerned, when connections of the world's highest-rated horse said that they doubted California in November would provide the right platform for a possible swansong. The unbeaten superstar colt, named by owner-breeder Khalid Abdullah in honour the legendary late US trainer Bobby Frankel, whos career was forged in California, appears more likely to run at Ascot on Qipco British Champions Day two weeks before the Breeders' Cup. Plan A may be the 1m2f Champion Stakes, depending on how he has fared over that trip during tthe summer, and Ascot could mark the culmination of a brilliant career. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing mamanger to the owner, said: "We are thinking about the Lockinge first of all with Frankel and he worked nicely this morning. The plan is to campaign him over a mile and two furlongs later in the year, so I doubt there would be a suitable race for him at the Breeders' Cup." The Sir Henry Cecil-trained 2,000 Guineas hero was back in action on Newmarket's Cambridge Road Polytrack, where he covered 1m in commanding style with his half-brother and regular lead horse Bullet Train. Cecil has Frankel on course to reappear over 1m in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on May 19, after which a choice of engagements at Royal Ascot includes the 1m2f Prince of Wales's Stakes. Coral have priced up a Queen Anne match bet between Frankel and Australian star Black Caviar, going 4-6 and 11-10, and rate Frankel a 7-4 shot to remain unbeaten this year. Beyonf the Royal meeting, Frankel's summer programme may remain over the longer trip, with the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in July and Juddmonte International at York in August obvious possibilities. Reacting to the news that Ascot was a more likely autumn goal than Santa Anita, BCS chief executive Rod Street said yesterday: "We'd naturally be delighted. We think Frankel helped make the first year of Champions Day very special. If he were to play a leading role on Champions Day in the Champion Stakes or the Queen Elizabeth II, we'd be thrilled." I have mentioned on here prevously that I am told that Frankel is very highly strung and does not react well to major changes in routine, which would include shipping so far overseas. My hope is that the team continue to do what is best for the horse and do not bow to outside pressure. I was particularly galled by comments from Breeders' Cup last year that Frankel could not be considered a true champion unless he travelled (to their meeting). Of course they failed to acknowledge that very, very few of their self-declared "Champions" have ever left the good ol' US of A
I was at Ascot to see Frankel win on Champions Day back in October and I would love to be there to see him again this year!
Teddy Grimthorpe, racing mamanger to the owner, said: "We are thinking about the Lockinge first of all with Frankel and he worked nicely this morning. The plan is to campaign him over a mile and two furlongs later in the year, so I doubt there would be a suitable race for him at the Breeders' Cup." Does that mean he'll be campaigned over the shorter trip before the 10f event? If so, where will he go?
He means that they don't want to run him on Dirt in the 1m2f Classic. The only suitable race would be the Mile (on turf) but they expect him to be running over 1m2f by then. Therefore, there is no race of a suitable distance on a suitable surface so they aren't going. Hope that makes sense.
Sir Henry confirmed that BC is an unlikely option at yesterday's Bet365 press conference: Frankel unlikely to run at Breeders' Cup meeting By BRUCE JACKSON 5:44PM 2 APR 2012 SIR HENRY CECIL has mapped out a plan for Frankel, officially rated the world's best Flat horse, which will include a step up in trip to 1m2f, but is unlikely to feature a trip to the States for the Breeders' Cup at the end of the year. Cecil, who trains the brilliant Galileo colt for Khalid Abdullah, attended a press conference at Sandown on Monday in which he confirmed the JLT Lockinge Stakes over 1m at Newbury on May 19 as the starting point for the horse who lit up last year's Flat season. Frankel's final appearance would likely be the Qipco Champion Stakes or the same day's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October, with Cecil not convinced about the Breeders' Cup. "The Breeders' Cup is not ruled out completely," said Cecil, who revealed the seven-year-old Twice Over remains in training this term. "That would be a separate thought. Hopefully he is going to stand in Europe as a turf horse. I think there is a good chance he will retire at the end of this year. Would it be fair to him at the end of the season going to a different surface with all the bustle? Time will tell." Asked about if and when the unbeaten superstar will step up in trip Cecil said: "A mile and a quarter will be when he is settled and is happy at that trip. I never work my horses over the distance they are going to run and try to work him as short as you can and leave him the gears to go through in his races." Frankel's three-year-old brother Noble Mission, second on his only start last year, could begin his 2012 campaign at Newmarket's Craven meeting this month.
