Frankel: So far so good states Cecil

News / Timeform / 27 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Frankel is unbeaten in nine career starts

"Sir Henry Cecil remains of the opinion that Frankel could be an even better horse this year than he was during his incredible three-year-old campaign..."

Sir Henry Cecil remains of the opinion that Frankel could be an even better horse this year than he was during his incredible three-year-old campaign...

The Galileo colt, rated 143 by Timeform, is unbeaten in nine starts in all and a spellbinding performance in last year's 2000 Guineas kicked off a run of four Group 1 hauls.

The Lockinge Stakes at Newbury is his comeback target and Cecil has yet to decide whether his charge will then stick at a mile for the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, or step up in distance for 10-furlong Prince of Wales's Stakes.

All going well, Frankel's stamina will be tested at some stage, with August's Juddmonte International at York an obvious target given the race is sponsored by owner Prince Khalid Abdullah.

"He's grown and he's stronger. He's beginning to settle well and mentally he's grown up. As long as he keeps right, he could be a better horse this year than last year," said Cecil.

"We'll start off over a mile and we'll feel our way. Whether he runs at Ascot over a mile or a mile and a quarter, time will tell. Eventually he'll hopefully be running a mile and a quarter, hopefully by Juddmonte time.

"He may go and a mile and a quarter earlier, but he'll tell us what to do, I'm not going to tell him.

"Every day is another day and I'm always happy after I see him walking across the road after he's cantered. Things can happen to horses."

Cecil is pleased with his string as a whole ahead of the new turf season, but would like to see some rain to help speed up their progress.

"It's a bit frustrating because we need some rain to get them on the grass. The grass brings them on so much more," Cecil told At The Races.

"We've done a lot of conditioning exercise but we have to get out for the spring meetings at Newbury and Newmarket because they are a stepping stone for the rest of the season.

"We have nearly 150 horses. It's competitive as long as we've got the quality, as you need the good horses to have a good year.

"You can have 40 winners of £3,000 races, which is £120,000. If you have a good horse, you can earn that money for finishing second in a Group 1 race."
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JP McManus has a strong hand in the Irish Grand National with ante-post Groody Hill set to be joined by his Cheltenham Festival winner Alfie Sherrin and Pertemps Final runner-up Catch Me at Fairyhouse on April 9......

So You Think and Aidan O'Brien's large contingent of Dubai runners have arrived safely in the Gulf ahead of Saturday's World Cup meeting......

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Derby Betting: Frankel unlikely, but Cecil still has favourite in World Domination

Events / Timeform / 03 May 2011 / Leave a Comment

Newbury winner World Domination is favourite for the Derby

"Frankel is, however, an intended runner in the St James’s Palace."

The Henry Cecil-trained World Domination has emerged as the new favourite for the Derby on June 4 after it was announced that the 2000 Guineas winner Frankel would not run in the Epsom Classic...

The 2000 Guineas winner, Frankel, rated 142 by Timeform after his blistering Newmarket success, is out to [27.0] in Betfair's Epsom Derby market, while his stable-companion World Domination (who reportedly suffered a very minor setback) heads the betting at [5.8].

There are severe doubts about Frankel's stamina for a mile and a half on the back of his Newmarket win, prompting a rethink, but World Domination, a most impressive winner of an eleven furlong Newbury maiden on his sole start last month, for which he earned a Timeform rating of 100P, seems sure to relish the longer trip, with both his pedigree and manner of victory pointing in that direction.

Frankel is, however, an intended runner in the St James's Palace at Royal Ascot next month, and currently trades as short as [1.3].

Read the thoughts of Michael Bell on the chances of his horses at Newmarket, Goodwood, Thirsk and Sha Tin....

In his first-ever column on betting.betfair Brian talks us through the merits of his weekend runners at Newmarket and Salisbury....

Timeform go through the runners for the first classic of the season......

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Weekend Review: Cecil strengthens his hand for the classics

Weekend Preview/Review / Timeform / 18 April 2011 / Leave a Comment

Henry Cecil and Khalid Abdulla: Look to have a stranglehold on the colts' classics

"Frankel wasn’t the only exciting Henry Cecil-trained classic hopeful at Newbury on Saturday as World Domination justified his big reputation at the first time of asking in a maiden later on the card."

Timeform look back over Saturday's best racing...

The horse everyone wanted to see on Saturday was last season's outstanding two-year-old colt Frankel, who made no mistake in the seven-furlong Greenham Stakes at Newbury, beating Excelebration and Shropshire by four lengths and six lengths respectively. The handicapping of this year's Greenham Stakes is expanded on elsewhere, so here it is sufficient to say that Frankel remains a short-priced favourite (currently trading at [1.69]) for the 2,000 Guineas and will surely take all the beating at Newmarket.

Frankel wasn't the only exciting Henry Cecil-trained classic hopeful at Newbury on Saturday as World Domination justified his big reputation at the first time of asking in a maiden later on the card. He is now the [8.6] second favourite for the Derby behind Frankel who is a [6.8] shot.

The fillies' Guineas trial, the Fred Darling, doesn't appeal as being particularly likely to have a significant impact on the Guineas itself, though connections of the winner, Rimth, are reportedly considering supplementing her for the race, the alternative option being a trip to Longchamp for the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.

The other Group 3 on the card at Newbury was the mile-and-a-half John Porter Stakes, and while there was certainly no Harbinger in this year's field, the race produced a likeable winner in Indian Days, who looks at least as good as ever an should be on course for another year of globetrotting. It's also worth mentioning the opening ten-furlong handicap won by Modun. It appeals as very strong handicap form, the winner in particular looking one to follow along with the fourth home Bourne.

Saturday's major jumps action took place at Ayr where the highlight was the Scottish National. The first two home in last month's NH Chase, Chicago Grey and Beshabar, dominated the market and on this occasion it was the latter who came out on top, looking just the sort that could have a say in the 2011 Grand National. Chicago Grey never got involved in a race where it proved difficult to make much headway from off the pace.

The other big race at Ayr was the Scottish Champion Hurdle, in which Paul Nicholls' Sanctuaire bounced back to form to register a very smooth success, good ground, a true pace, and a breathing operation all likely catalysts for his return to form.

The Flat action steps up another notch this weekend, while we also have one of the final big meeting of the present jumps season to look forward to....

Timeform look back on Saturday's action at Aintree, the highlight of which was Ballabriggs' win in the Grand National......

Timeform look ahead to the action on Grand National weekend......

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