From Godolphin's website: FARHH FOR FRANKEL IN SUSSEX 17 July 2012 Farhh to contest QIPCO Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Farhh, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, will be supplemented to the QIPCO Sussex Stakes and take on the unbeaten Frankel in the Group One Goodwood mile race on Wednesday, August 1, provided the ground is not too fast. Simon Crisford, the Godolphin racing manager, announced the decision by HH Sheikh Mohammed, Godolphinâs founder and driving force, on Tuesday, July 17. He explained: âWe are really excited to be running Farhh in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes. The timing of the race is perfect, three weeks and a few days after his excellent second in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. âI asked Sheikh Mohammed what his preferred option was, the QIPCO Sussex Stakes, in which he could come second to Frankel if not win, or the Jacques Le Marois at Deauville. He said âwhat sort of stupid question is that - I want to go to Goodwoodâ. âWe are delighted that Farhh is going to be there, provided the ground is not too firm. I know that sounds like a bit of a joke at the moment but we seriously hope the ground will dry out sufficiently but not be too firm for him to be able to take his chance. âFarhh put up a really good performance in the Prince of Walesâs Stakes at Royal Ascot after missing the break and not having a clear run. âI think the best horse won the Coral-Eclipse - it would be wrong to say Farhh could have beaten Nathaniel. Farhh used up a lot of energy to get to Nathaniel and probably did not have quite enough petrol in the tank in the last uphill drive. It was a big run but he told us that going back to a mile would probably be a good thing. âHe clearly did not get the trip at Sandown and we want to drop him back in distance. âIt must be remembered that he is still on a learning curve, being very inexperienced. He might recognise Frankel - we tried to race against Frankel once before, as a two-year-old in a conditions race at Doncaster. âFarhh sadly reared up in the gates, hurt himself really quite badly and could not run. I remembered on that occasion, as the gates opened, absolutely spitting blood because he wasnât able to run against Frankel. But, at the end of the race, I was thinking maybe we dodged a bullet there because Frankel was phenomenally brilliant that day, even though it was a three-runner race. âFarhhâs injury kept him off the track for most of his three-year-old campaign and it is only this year that we are beginning to get into some sort of rhythm with him. He is turning out to be a good horse. âThe stalls are a worry - he schools through the gates every day and he is actually as good as gold at home. But you saw what can happen at Royal Ascot - he does need to go into the stalls last and cannot be hanging around in them. He needs to go in and the gates to open. We will obviously be talking to the starter beforehand. âFarhh in Arabic means happy. He is happy to run at Goodwood but we havenât told him yet he is running against Frankel! âThe QIPCO Sussex Stakes has so much history and prestige - it is a wonderful race and Goodwood is a terrific racecourse. âFrom our point of view, Farhh has not done enough yet to establish himself as a really true Group One horse, having just won the Thirsk Hunt Cup. He needs to bridge the gap at some stage. âThe Goodwood track is a big question mark for him but the timing of the race suits us a lot more than waiting for another couple of weeks for Deauville. âMaybe we will be able to get a five-length start from Frankel or even a 10-length start! If we could organise this, we would have a great chance! âFarhh is in great form and doing really well - letâs hope he runs up to his best. It will be a fantastic race and I hope it is not just two or three runners.â
I can't see the logic of dropping him back to a mile. In the Ascot race he was finishing very well on good to soft going over 10f and he beat everything else in the Eclipse bar Nathaniel who as well as being slightly better class had the stamina to make it a hard 10f race in what was clearly soft going. I would have thought the logical race for him to oppose Frankel is the Juddmonte as Farhh looks a 10f horse for sure, he may be effective over a mile against lesser horses but not Frankel.
They're probably also thinking about there likely to be only a few other runners - Sir Henry has indicated he will run Bullet Train and perhaps Chachamaidee - so it will be easy to pick up some good place prize money and some black type.
One things is for certain, Farhh will be Farhh Farhh behind Frankel. It is a good thing that he's trying though. Frankel needs something to beat.
They're probably thinking, take Frankel out and it's a group 3 race. We can win a G3 race easily enough and the prize money is quite good.
Really? I think they want to be involved in a race with Frankel. Prize money is irrelevant. This is about spectacle.
Do you reckon they think they have a chance over 8f Quel? I know it's not about the money for them. I wasn't really thinking when I posted that. It might have been how some other trainers would have viewed it I suppose.
I think Sheikh Mo just wants a runner at Goodwood. He is a sporting man so wants a horse in the best races against the best horses.
Here is an announcement. All trainers wishing to stand any chance of beating Frankel in the Sussex Stakes should ensure their horses are lined up at the start of the 14.35. Thank you.
Took the words right out my mouth! He is a good horse and will be a futre multiple G1 winner but to beat frankel! No way!
I agree, fair play to Sheikh Mo for lining the horse up. Sadly you can be pretty certain that the remainder of the field will be pretty poor. I just hope people stop crabbing the form of the races Frankel wins. It's hardly his fault if other trainers/owners are too scared to take him on.
I guess it's very possible that should he get anywhere near they may fancy another go in the Juddmonte where he would at least be worth a shot with Frankel going into unknown territory and Faah at his right trip.
I notice that the ‘Racing Post’ are going mad over this possible clash in today’s edition and talking about it as if it’s 2 Titans clashing! But the fact that Frankel is rated 140 and Farrh 122 highlights the actual gulf between them and what they have actually achieved thus far. It’s not a dual that I would want to get excited about and can see old binoculars being needed in order to see how far behind Sir Henry’s Champion the Godolphin runner will actually finish.
On paper, it's no Ali - Frazier clash, but then again, the media are not exactly objective when it comes to these types of meetings.
I've been thinking. Maybe this isn't going to be the walkover we expect. I've always maintained that So You Think would have given Frankel something to think about, mainly on the grounds that SYT consistently clocks good times and therefore Frankel would have to clock a fast time to beat him. Moving on from there, a little digging reveals (all well known of course): Ascot 20 Jun 2012 10f Good Btn 2¾ by So You Think TIME 2m 3.86s (fast by 1.74s) Farhh Reared as stalls opened and slowly away, dropped in behind, headway on inner 2f out, not clear run over 1f out until inside final furlong, good headway and switched left inside final furlong, going on strongly at finish Sandown 07 Jul 2012 10f Good To soft Btn ½ by Nathaniel TIME 2m 6.94s (slow by 0.94s) Farhh Held up in rear, shaken up and progress on outer from over 2f out, chased winner over 1f out, edged right but strong challenge and nearly upsides inside final furlong, not quicken last 100yds Thirsk 05 May 2012 8f Good To Soft Farhh Dwelt, midfield, good headway over 2f out, led 2f out, soon quickened clear, very impressive (Form nothing to write home about but won very easily on easy surface) Maybe, just maybe, 8f on a softish surface could be ideal for Farhh and give him his best chance of getting close.
It might be hist best chance of getting close. The problem is that his best chance of getting close is still very very small. I'm not sure the downhill parts of Goodwood will play to his strengths though.
I'd love to see Cirus des Aigles turn up for the Judmonte. The owners have nothing to lose as they're hardly going to worry about stud value and he's possibly the only horse around who could give Frankel a real go.
