Unbeaten Frankel will face a maximum of seven rivals as he bids to become the first two-time winner of the QIPCO Sussex Stakes (Eng-I) at Glorious Goodwood Aug. 1.
The mile contest is the highlight of the meeting’s second day and offers a prize fund of £316,500. It is the fifth race in the Mile category of the QIPCO British Champions Series.
Last year the Sir Henry Cecil-trained Frankel sauntered to an effortless five-length victory over Canford Cliffs in a contest billed as the “Duel on the Downs,” and he is now unbeaten in 11 starts. Frankel’s most recent outing came in the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot June 19, when the colt was in devastating form and came home 11 lengths clear of Excelebration, earning an official rating of 140 with the British Horseracing Authority.
The strongest opposition to Frankel could come from Godolphin’s Farhh, who has been supplemented for the race at a cost of £19,500. The lightly raced 4-year-old has run two excellent races in group I contests in his most recent starts. He went down by half a length to Nathaniel in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park July 7 and finishing third to So You Think in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot June 20, when he stayed on well after losing ground at the start.
Both of Farhh's latest races came over 10 furlongs but his trainer Saeed bin Suroor is not concerned about the drop back to a mile for the QIPCO Sussex.
“I think that a mile at Goodwood will suit him well but we would prefer to see some rain before Wednesday because he prefers to have a little cut in the ground,” bin Suroor said.
Also among the eight confirmations for the QIPCO Sussex Stakes are Strong Suit, successful over seven furlongs in the bet365 Lennox Stakes (Eng-II) at Glorious Goodwood in 2011; Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) winner Power, one of three possible starters for Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien along with Ishvana, who landed the Jersey Stakes (Eng-III) at Royal Ascot, and Reply. The Richard Fahey-trained Gabrial and Bullet Train , who usually sets the pace for Frankel, complete the possible line-up.