Frankel bids for his 11th win on opening day of Royal Ascot
Can wonder horse Frankel win his 11th consecutive race?
This afternoon (Tuesday 19 June) the Sir Henry Cecil-trained four-year-old will bid to continue his unbeaten run and win The Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Frankel, who is officially rated the best racehorse in the world, last ran at Newbury, when he won his sixth Group One race – the Lockinge Stakes (19 May).
It was his first start in 2012 after a three-year-old campaign that included a brilliant 2000 Guineas victory and further Group One triumphs in the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
The Queen Anne Stakes is the first race of the Royal meeting, and has 11 horses due to go to post. Frankel will be up against Lockinge runner up Excelebration, trained by Aidan O’Brien, as well as the Charlie Hills-trained Red Jazz and Richard Hannon’s Strong Suit.
The son of Galileo is expected to go off at 1-6.
Trainer Sir Henry Cecil, who has won a record 73 races at Royal Ascot, told At The Races: “He’s in good order and there are no excuses. You always feel nerves with horses like that, he has a great following and you don’t want to let anyone down. I’m very proud of what he’s achieved, we’re lucky to have him and I hope to continue where we left off.”
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Watch the one-mile Group One Queen Anne Stakes on BBC One at 2.30pm.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.