Win number 12 for Galileo's unique son Frankel

The world’s best racehorse Frankel (4c Galileo-Kind, by Danehill) duly won his 12th race at Goodwood on Wednesday - and eighth at G1 level - when taking the Sussex Stakes for owner-breeder Prince Khalid Abdulla, trainer Sir Henry Cecil and jockey Tom Queally. Prince Khalid’s racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe said: “Wasn’t that a magnificent performance by the world’s greatest! Settling him is going to be important for his future races and to get him into that nice rhythm on a good rein, but well held. Today he has done that and it will have been just what Henry was looking for. Henry was very firm in his view that he wanted to use this race as a stepping stone for  the Juddmonte International at York [August 22, for which he is now a 1/4 shot with Ladbrokes] and everything fell into place nicely. He’s getting to be the finished article. I’ve often said you cannot come for races like this half prepared or you could end up looking stupid, so he came here pretty much on top of his game. “There are two obvious races left for him, the Juddmonte and the Champion Stakes [at Ascot, October 20], but there is a gap of nearly two months between them and Henry may decide to give him a race in between, possibly something like the Prix du Moulin. We’ve always said we want to do the right thing for the horse, and we’ve never shied away from a race. We just want to give him the best chance to show himself as the best, and if there’s a race to do that in then we’ll go for it. At the moment Ascot will be his farewell.” Frankel, who was sent off at odds of 1/20, frightened off all but three rivals today (one was his pacemaker) and Grimthorpe was asked if it is possible the horse might retire from racing without ever revealing his true ability. He said: “We all have a pretty good idea how good he is now - this is not the Pony Club and we’re not trying to jump over every skittle. Who he takes on is something that is out of our hands. I’m biased, but I’ve never seen any horse as good as him.” Queally added: “Every moment spent on Frankel’s back is a special moment and today was no different. He is amazing and had all the other horses cooked at a little after halfway - it was a nice prep for his next race.  He is a class apart from any other horse around at the moment and does it all very easily so therefore I have a very easy job. All I need to do is steer him. These are magic moments and it’s great to be a part of it.”