I'm glad to see the dead wood taken out, the last thing you'd want to see is Richard Hughes possibly being deprived of a run because some rag is keeping him in. Interesting that Henry Cecil has said they won't be adopting the Guineas tactics. Didn't he say that before Royal Ascot but it still didn't stop Queally from going off like a scalded cat so far out. I can't get it out of my head how much Frankel seemed to finish like a tired horse in the St James's Palace, even if his jockey said he was idling . Tomorrow's race is as much a test of whether Frankel has stood the pressure of those hard races as much as anything else.
Chance Gardner......Just watch that St Jame's Palace stakes again, and watch at how quickly Frankel puts daylight between himself and the pack, fair enough he got tired but he was at full speed for a full 4 furlongs, for me no other miler since maybe Brigadier Gerard could have been ridden in that manner and still won, you realy think Canford Cliffs or Goldikova would have won that race had they been sent for home with 4 to go? Frankel is a brilliant horse but no horse can sustain there finishing kick in a mile race for the final 4 furlongs, it's close to impossible, I've never seen a horse who could do it. Imagine if Frankel is waited with until the 2 pole and that explosion of pace is delivered then Canford Cliffs or any other miler for that matter is not going to be able to live with it. He showed he could settle at Ascot as he settled in the pack for the first 4 furlongs. Queally will have learnt and received a bollocking from Henry Cecil for that ride, he won't make the same mistake again
Shergar, to me Frankel looked like a jaded horse at Royal Ascot. Granted Queally had his foot on the accelerator from a long way out but he looked as if he'd hit a brick wall in the final furlong. I'm just wondering how often you can ride a horse like that until you burn him out. Canford Cliffs wouldn't have been sent for home that far out because he's not that type of horse and Hughes isn't that type of jockey. I'm not detracting from Frankel at all, I still think his Guineas win was one of the most memorable races of all time and I had a very decent bet on him but I won't be backing him tomorrow.
Chance, I cannot believe that I am going to suggest taking King Shergar’s advice but if you can find a BBC recording anywhere on the web showing the end of the race from the inside rail, watch Frankel and specifically Tom Queally in the last two furlongs. I did not agree with the way Frankel was ridden at Ascot – like most people I thought he went for home too soon, especially since he had a pacemaker. What I think was very noticeable was that Queally only used his whip twice in the last two furlongs and rode Frankel with hands and heals the rest of the time. The fact that the placed horses, such as runner-up Zoffany, have declined to reoppose tells its own story. His victory in the St James’s Palace Stakes may not have been as visually impressive as the 2000 Guineas but I still expect Frankel to win the Sussex Stakes against an opponent who I do not believe is entirely suited to the course and who can only run one type of race.
Chance Gardner......Your missing the point slightly, no miler is going to be seen at there best being sent on for home with 4 to go, so the fact Canford Cliffs is not that type of horse is an irrelevant point, as Frankel is not that type of horse either. For me though if Canford Cliffs was ridden like that by Queally he would have been picked up in the home straight, but Frankel is that good he can overcome a bad ride and still get home infront. Can you honestly say Canford Cliffs would have made it home infront with Queally using those tactics? Frankel is just a better horse than Canford Cliffs. CC is just a pretty good miler, he is not a equine freak like Frankel
Frankel won despite any help from the jockey who gave it an awful ride. Come to think of it i think he has done his best to ruin the horse both times he has been legged up in my opinion. Sprinting for a mile in the first race and asking way too far out in the second. It's not a difficult ride just employ a pace maker to set a mid pace gallop not a crawl or a flat out gallop, just normal fractions for the distance. Sit on his tail on the inside Start to up the tempo from about 3 out without asking for everything, at the two pole ask for everything all the way to the line. If another horse beats you then he is one hell of a horse. You cannot go early again as you will bottom the horse too early once again leaving him vulnerable to a staying finisher, go too late and Canford may have the more immediate acceleration and reach the post before Frankel has made use of his strength which is a sustained sprint as opposed to a half furlong lightning burst. My thoughts are that Frankel will win without a jockey error.
I think a lot depends on the ride Quelley gives Frankel. I hope he gives him a great ride and that there are no excuses for either horse - then we will know which is best. I have always been a huge CC fan and believe he is the only miler around who can scare Frankel if Cecil's horse and rider are at their best. My hunch is that it will fall right for CC tomorrow but we will still be arguing which is the better horse afterwards.
I think most people are going to be surprised at how easy CC is going to win tomorrow.I for one wont be.
I think Frankel but have a feeling it could come down to jockeyship which means Canford has a huge advantage. Richard Hughes would be a great Jockey actually to re educate Frankel after Tom's shananagans. I am not sure what Sir Henry sees in him really. One of the reasons you have to think Frankel is special is that any other horse ridden the way he was in the guineas would have been suicidal, any other horse ridden how he was at Ascot would have been tailed off swamped in the final furlong and half. What a race, two very special horses.
Bluesky....Whilst Henry Cecil does have a few horses of real quality, Midday, Twice Over, Frankel etc he doesn't have that many horses, so he is unlikely to be able to attract one of the top guys to be his stable jockey
I agree with the above post in that there could have been a few more entries. Ballydoyle have a few decent 3 y/os including the one that ran Frankel close at Ascot (sorry the name escapes me just now) in addition to Goldikova and Dick Turpin.
frankels long stride may not be used to its best at track,first time he will face undulations like these and a downhill finish wheres canford cliff handled it with ease last year and that could be all the difference needed from winning and losing
handled it with ease? I am not too sure I agree with that, he won but I think he won despite the course rather than it helping him. I am not sure any top class milers would appreciate the undulations at Goodwood, its more about handling them. We know CC can handle them.
Accepted, Frankel is encountering a switchback track for the first time and it may not suit. Clearly I was in a minority in thinking that Canford Cliffs did not like the track last year, which was why he barely scraped past Rip Van Winkle despite clearly being a superior horse.
"ease" was meant to be easy win,he scrapped past but then immediately eased?surely would of won by more if pushed out and i wouldnt call that scrapping home .
Keiron Fallon has summed up this race perfectly. Canford Cliffs is one of the best milers in the last 5 or 6 years. Where as Frankel is one of the best we've ever seen.
I must have watched a different race to some if CC barely scrapped home last year? I thought he won cosy enough in the end having looked, for a fraction of a second, like he might not pick up Rip in time. Once he did though, he was eased. It's interesting people citing CC's apparent dislike of the track whilst not voicing any concerns about Frankel on the same course.
Shergy, Mr Fallon's prediction of Frankel 'being one of the best we've ever seen' will be played out in a couple of hours time! A resounding, decisive win over CC and he's probably right. Whilst I'm in the CC camp I would not be surprised should this scenairo unfold, and tbf I hope if he does win, he does so well because then we have a real superstar on our hands!
Beef.....I do genuinely believe that Frankel will win comfortably. CC will stalk him, and Frankel will go for home with 2 1/2 to go, CC will probably be all out to hang onto his coat tails until the furlong pole, but after that Frankel's combined speed and power will pull him further clear, where as CC will be burnt out, and may be outstayed for 2nd late on. Frankel to win by 5 or 6 lengths
