Sir Henry Cecil worked unbeaten superstar FRANKEL (Galileo [Ire]) Friday
morning at Newmarket and was very pleased with his charge in advance of the
October 15 Queen Elizabeth II S. (Eng-G1) at Ascot. The popular trainer later
fielded questions at a press conference.
Commenting on his timetable for preparation, Cecil said, “I would rather be
ahead of time, than trying to catch a train. There is nothing worse than to mis-time
it, find that you are a gallop short and have to put pressure on them before a
race.
“I would rather be ahead so I can pull back and keep him fresh and well. So
far everything is going very well.”
Cecil remarked upon how Frankel’s frame of mind has improved over the course
of the season.
“Anyway, Frankel is coming on very, very nicely. I gave him a nice bit of
work, not a hard bit of work. Physically he has done very well. He looks a
stronger horse and is growing up mentally a lot.
“He is a happy horse who used to pull a little bit. He took quite a hold as
he is strong horse. Now he is far more relaxed and far easier to train than in
the early days.
“Now I find him much more helpful and hopefully I can help him more. Shane (Featherstonhaugh),
who looks after MIDDAY (GB) (Oasis Dream [GB]), has been riding Frankel in most
of his work and everyday exercise. He gets on very, very well with Frankel and
has helped him an awful lot.
“This morning I put Tom Queally (Frankel’s jockey) on because I wanted Tom to
have plenty of confidence in the horse and find out that he is actually an
easier horse to ride now than he was earlier in the year.”
Cecil was not willing to delve into the colt’s closest call all year, a
three-quarter length decision in the June 14 St James’s Palace S. (Eng-G1) at
Royal Ascot, where he launched a premature move over the round mile.
“I would rather not talk about Ascot,” Cecil said. “It was a disaster really.
We won, but it was not very satisfactory. He has become more settled and easier.
“He is a very happy horse with a lot of energy. He never seems to get tired.
Although he is very active, he is not that hard a horse to get fit. You can give
him an easy time and he comes back pretty quick.”
Frankel, who dominated the seven-furlong Greenham S. (Eng-G3) and the
one-mile Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) prior to the St James’s Palace, nearly
stepped up in trip for the Juddmonte International (Eng-G1) over 10 furlongs, 88
yards. Instead, he stayed at a mile for the July 27 Sussex S. (Eng-G1) and
thrashed older horses.
“The original idea was to go to the Juddmonte International rather than the
QIPCO Sussex S,” Cecil said. “I think he will stay more than a mile, but as the
idea is to keep him in training next year he can go either distance — a mile or
a mile and a quarter.”
Cecil spoke of Frankel’s massive natural talent, and how he rates
historically.
“Frankel is potentially a very good horse. I think the best is still to come.
If he stays right and everything goes to plan, I would like to think you will
see a better horse as time goes on.
“He is the top horse in the world, and people say he is the best horse they
have seen, but I will let you decide that. I am not going to compare the best
horses I have had over the years. They have been good friends to me. They have
won at different distances, whether they be Ardross, Oh So Sharp (Ire) or
whoever they might be. They have been very good in their generations and
distances. It would be very unfair to say this is the best I have ever had.
“I think this horse, as time goes on, will show you what he is, and you may
not even have to ask me the question.
“It is lovely position to be in to have a horse of that capability. I have
enjoyed him. I found early on that he was slightly complicated. I am a simple
person and like simple things.
“There is always a bit of pressure with a horse of his caliber. You are
nervous about this, that and the other. I am very happy to have him and he is a
challenge. I do the best I can with him.
“Frankel is a very hot-blooded horse. We have cameras on him and can see what
he is up to in our bedroom. When it is a bit cool and he has a light rug on, he
suddenly decides at 12 o’clock that it is not cool and he is too hot. So he is
trying to pull the rug over his head and what can happen? He can break his neck
— luckily we see it and take the rug off.
“There are all these difficult little things. He is always biting himself. He
sweats between his back legs in the paddock before a race, and with a lot of
horses that is a bad sign, but it is only because he is quite hot-blooded.”
Cecil believes that Frankel will be spot-on for the QEII, which will be held
down the straight mile at Ascot this year.
“At this stage, I am really happy with him,” the trainer said. “I am looking
forward to going for the race, a very good race for him.
“I will gradually work Frankel up to the race and it depends on the weather
where he goes. He will tell me what to do. I like to think that I know him well
enough and, touch wood, I will do the right thing.”
Cecil revealed a glimmer of future plans for Frankel, including a tilt at the
2012 Breeders’ Cup.
“I don’t want Frankel at the Breeders’ Cup this year because of the tight
track,” Cecil said of Churchill Downs’ turf course. “It moves to Santa Anita
next year, which would be better for him.
“I would love to take him to the QIPCO Champion S. (Eng-G1) next year and
then there is a month to the Breeders’ Cup, so maybe the Prince (Khalid
Abdullah) will decide to finish him at the Breeders’ Cup.”