Frankel turned in yet another dominating performance and remained unbeaten in 12 starts when he cruised to an easy six-length victory under jockey Tom Queally in the $490,500 QIPCO Sussex Stakes (Eng-I) at Glorious Goodwood Aug. 1.
The 4-year-old son of Galileo won the Sussex last year for Juddmonte Farm and trainer Sir Henry Cecil. He became the first two-time winner of the mile race and also matched Rock of Gibraltar with his string of seven straight group I victories.
Only three other runners lined up against Frankel in the Sussex—two, really, since one of the horses was Bullet Train , Frankel's pacemaker and half-brother. The two outside challengers in the race were Godolphin's Farhh, a 4-year-old colt by Pivotal who had been second to Nathaniel in the Coral-Eclipse (Eng-I) in his most recent start, and Gabrial, a 3-year-old colt who came in off a fifth-place run in the St. James's Palace Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot in June.
Bullet Train broke alertly and went to the front under Ian Mongan. Frankel sat just behind his stablemate in second, with Farhh in third and Gabrial settled at the rear. The order remained unchanged throughout the early stages of the race, as the horses raced in single file over the Goodwood course.
As the field swept through the turn and entered the home straight, Bullet Train continued to hold a slight lead, but Frankel was creeping closer. With three furlongs left to run, Queally pushed the button and the race was soon over when Frankel accelerated past Bullet Train and took command.
The Juddmonte Farm colorbearer drew off in the homestretch. Farhh got up for second, with Gabrial another 3 1/4-lengths farther back in third.
The final time for eight furlongs was 1:37.56 over the good turf course.
After the race Queally told reporters, "Every moment spent on his back is a special moment and today was no different. He's amazing, he had all the other horses cooked just after halfway and it was a nice prep for his next race."
"He's a class apart from anything else at the moment, he does it all very easily therefore I have a very easy job, all I have to do is steer," Queally added.
Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Prince Khalid Abdullah, added, "It's a pleasure to watch him. He's much more mature, both mentally and physically. Henry and everyone at Warren Place have done a fantastic job; it's been a great effort to get him spot on."
Cecil, who also sent out two stakes winners July 31 at Glorious Goodwood, has been unable to attend the race meeting as he is undergoing further treatment for cancer.
Frankel was bred in England by Juddmonte Farm. He is out of the stakes-winning Danehill mare Kind, who, in addition to Frankel and Bullet Train, has also produced the 3-year-old Noble Mission , winner of the Gordon Stakes (Eng-III) at Glorious Goodwood on Tuesday.
Frankel wins the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
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