• Champions Day

Fabulous Frankel powers to QEII win

Tom Queally drives Frankel clear to win the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes © PA Photos

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Frankel cemented his reputation as the finest racehorse in the world with a brilliant display in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day at Ascot.

It was something of a messy race, as Frankel's pacemaker Bullet Train was ignored by the field and Frankel pulled extremely hard early on, but once Tom Queally allowed his mount to stride on he powered to the front and settled the race in the matter of strides - pulling four lengths clear of Excellebration.

Frankel's unbeaten career record now stands at nine races and with trainer Sir Henry Cecil convinced there is more to come from his colt, racing has a superstar to champion.

Bullet Train was asked to make the race and he jumped out, but was left to plough a lone furrow. Queally did not panic despite his mount pulling hard and after a couple of furlongs he allowed Frankel, the 4/11f, to stride on.

Poet's Voice and Excellebration followed Frankel through and briefly looked a threat, but Queally had not gone for his mount at the two pole and the chasers were hard at work.

Frankel assumed control over a furlong from home and sprinted clear once Quelly changed his hands. The colt was well on top as the winning line came, suggesting he could well step up in distance next season.

"He lost his cover and I had to change plans a bit, but he waited until I gave him the office and you saw what happened after that," Queally said.

"He was grown up enough that when there's horses in front of him he doesn't have to pass them until I say go. When I did say go he was electric.

"He's the horse of a lifetime for the public, let alone the jockey. It's difficult to explain what he means to me, I'm terribly, terribly lucky. I don't really feel the pressure but it's there. Luckily enough the whip debate took a lot of it off me this week. I would like to think I handle it pretty well, I enjoy it."

Cecil said: "He's a terrific horse. He's done everything we asked of him, and next year he will definitely get a mile and a quarter. I was nervous because everything has to go right, but he has really grown up and settles very well. He did it really well.

"It's been a long year and I'm looking forward to the winter. I'm very happy. He did everything that we asked, we weren't trying to catch pigeons or anything, we just wanted to win nicely."

Champions Day opened up with a superb display from Gold Cup winner Fame And Glory who bounced back from a couple of sub-standard runs to take the Long Distance Cup.

Dacing Rain draws away under Johnny Murtagh to beat Bible Belt in the Fillies And Mares Stakes © PA Photos

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Trainer Aidan O'Brien admitted it had been tough to get the horse back to the level of his Gold Cup win, but he showed his mastery of the art by producing his mount superbly tuned. Jockey Jamie Spencer took up the running a long way out, wound up the pace to get his rivals off the bridle and held enough in reserve to fend off the late thrust of favourite Opinion Poll to reward those who kept the faith and took the 3/1 that was on offer by the bookmakers.

Deacon Blues enjoyed another fine day out at Ascot when picking up the British Champions Sprint Stakes for trainer James Fanshawe and jockey Johnny Murtagh.

Murtagh had the Wokingham winner well placed in behind leader Hooray from the off and he found a fine turn of foot to secure his fifth win on the spin. It was a comfortable success, but if there was a hard-luck story it came in the form of French raider Moonlight Cloud who was repeatedly denied a run in the final two furlongs before flying home once in the clear.

Oaks winner Dancing Rain returned fresh and well from a two-month absence to make all the running under Murtagh to bag the Fillies' And Mares' Stakes for trainer William Haggas. Vita Nova and Ferdoos were hugely disappointing, but it should not detract from Dancing Rain who powered home from Bible Belt.

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