Frankel v Canford Cliffs Moves Closer | Thebigtip

Sir Henry Cecil has all but confirmed that plans to run his outstanding colt Frankel in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York in mid-August have been shelved in favour of taking on the mighty Canford Cliffs at Glorious Goodwood in the Group 1 Qipco Sussex Stakes, the clash that so many racing fans have been eagerly clamouring to see.
 
The 'battle of the generations' would pit the unbeaten Frankel, a winner of all seven career starts including the Dewhurst Stakes, 2000 Guineas, and most recently the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, against the four-year-old Canford Cliffs, winner of his last five races (all at Group 1 level), including last year's Irish 2000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes, and Sussex Stakes, together with the Lockinge Stakes and then, most recently, a stunning success over the mighty Goldikova in a memorable renewal of the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. The online horse racing betting indicates it would be a fascinating race.
 
Cecil reports that Frankel surprisingly didn't lose any weight after his recent Ascot victory, backing up the assertion of both his trainer and jockey Tom Queally that the Galileo colt was only idling in the closing stages, not 'running on empty' when closed down to just three quarters of a length by the fast-finishing Zoffany. Cecil added that his stable star would be ridden differently at Goodwood, but refused to elaborate on just what change of tactics are likely to be employed and those looking at the horse race betting online are bound to be intrigued by the comments.
 
Queally came in for plenty of criticism after his latest win on Frankel with many people wondering if he had used up too much of the colt's exhilarating speed when taking over from his pacemaker as far as three furlongs from the finish. Bookmakers rate Canford Cliffs an Evens favourite in the ante-post market for the Sussex Stakes, with Frankel currently a best priced 11/8 chance. They go 8/1 Zoffany, and 14/1 bar the three.