Race of the Summer? Frankel v Canford Cliffs... today

[Drvmb1ggl3]

The Sussex Stakes G1 goes off in about 8 hours. That’s 3:10 local time at glorious Goodwood… 10:10 EST, 9:10 CST, and 7:10 PST and just after midnight on the east coast of OZ, for all you interested folks around the world.

Besides the main protagonists, there are two other horses in the race, Rio the la Plata and Rajsaman, at 50/1 and 33/1 respectively… it’s not often you see a multiple G1 winner go off at 50/1 in a four horse race.

Frankel is shading it in the betting at the moment, 4/5 to Canford Cliff’s 11/8.

Personally think Canford just has too much turn of foot for the young wunderkind Frankel. We’ll see… should be a fascinating encounter.

[Glimmerglass]

Both HRTV and TVG are providing the Goodwood-based feed from GBI live

http://www.gbiracing.com/

They’ll also provide highlight videos later as will likely videos to be found on youtube.com too

[Drvmb1ggl3]

For those without TV access, you can watch the Channel 4 live feed here.

The big match race goes off in 30 minutes.

[Glimmerglass]

Wow

A far cry from Frankel’s slightly lackluster effort last time out. Did he even break a sweat? Impressive!

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Speechless.

This may be the best miler I’ve ever seen.

Seriously.

[Glimmerglass]

I’m still in awe wondering how a horse as good as Canford Cliffs is just off Frankel’s rear flank with 2 furlongs out then gets blown away - seemingly with easy - by incredible five lengths. Frankel has an amazing turn of foot!

The Breeders’ Cup officials should be begging the connections to get him to Churchill this fall.

US win payoff was a surprising $3.80 for Frankel … far less of a payout in the UK.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Replay… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeUB8CgDk-w&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Laurierace]

Not as awesome as the Blind Luck/HdG race but still very impressive. He won for fun.

[Cammie]

Impressive acceleration on Frankel. Its strange to see such a small field in a big race over there. Essentially a match race between the two, at least until Frankel decided to put the hammer down.

Thanks for the heads up on the race and the video link.

[Glimmerglass]

Goodnews: that Henry Cecil is saying Frankel will race at age 4
Bad news: he’ll race just once more in 2011.

Source: Betfair tweet

Cecil has told RUK Frankel will staying in training as a 4yr old. He’ll only run once more this season, most likely at Champions day

I suspect they’ll re-evaluate with a bit more time, perspective and pressure.

[MintHillFarm]

Frankel has such an efficient way of going.

And to accelerate the way he did at asking. Very impressive race indeed…

[Rubyfree]

:eek:

The stride on that horse is near perfection. Holy cow. Holy crap. Holy ***t.

[Cancara]

[QUOTE=Rubyfree;5743919]
:eek:

The stride on that horse is near perfection. Holy cow. Holy crap. Holy ***t.[/QUOTE]

That’s the key. You can see as they go around the bend that Frankel is almost taking one stride to two of Canford Cliffs! He is just so LONG!

This is an amazing horse. He has such natural talent. They obviously got the tactics wrong in the Ascot race and are right when they said that he dossed a bit in front.

His temperament has been questioned but I was so impressed yesterday that he seemed so mature, and when the jockey wanted to hold him up at the start to see if someone would make it he accepted it so well, this from a horse that had previously blasted out of the stalls and made all in the guineas.

Canford Cliffs has won five group ones in a row and beat no less than Goldikova last time out and beat her cosily. He was in trouble furlongs out, his jockey acknowledges he knew they were struggling. :eek:

Henry cecil says this is the best horse he is ever seen and I would not be arguing at this stage!

I’m not a flat race person, more National Hunt, but this is a horse I have followed:
http://www.suite101.com/content/fantastic-frankel-sets-flat-season-alight-a368672
http://www.suite101.com/content/frankel-the-phenomenon-becomes-racings-headline-horse-a381875

[dressagetraks]

WOW!

So no chance at all for Churchill? I’d love to see this guy this fall. :yes:

[Drvmb1ggl3]

[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;5742967]
Replay… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeUB8CgDk-w&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/QUOTE]

Looks like that video has been taken down due to copyright claim.

Here are two other replays.
Channel 4 coverage and up close camera work (taped off of Irish TV, so RTE post race commentary).

And this is the RacingUK coverage and camera work.

[Cancara]

Great links Drvmb1ggl3- I watched again. I get quite emotional watching a good horse like that, really makes you feel great!

[Glimmerglass]

Worth citing here: Racingpost Aug 10, 2011 “Frankel’s brother leads Racing Post Trophy 96”

NOBLE MISSION, an unraced full brother to the unbeaten Frankel, featured on Wednesday among 96 entries for the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.

The colt, who like Frankel is trained by Sir Henry Cecil and owned by Khalid Abdullah, also has entries in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket in September and the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes there the following month.

Noble Mission - born Feb 25, 2009

Nothing like being nominated for the Epsom Derby without having raced yet

ENTERED RACE ENTERED FOR THE FOLLOWING RACES

24Sep11 … at Newmarket, Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings)

8Oct11 … at Newmarket, Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (Group 1) (Colts & Fillies)

22Oct11 … at Doncaster, Racing Post Trophy (Group 1)

2Jun12 … at Epsom, Investec Derby (Group 1) (Entire Colts & Fillies)

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Most horses are entered in the Derby as yearlings, costs the equivalent of $400-$500. If you wait until they are 3yos it costs quite a bit more to supplement. It’s kind of like the Breeders Cup in that regard.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Here’s the exact details, at least for 2010…

The cost of an initial entry at the yearling stage was £325, with the next forfeit stage on March 2, 2010, when connections pay an additional £1,000 to remain engaged. There is another confirmation stage on May 21, 2010, when a payment of £3,000 is required with a final payment of £2,500 at the five-day confirmation stage. The are two other options to enter a horse in the 2010 Derby. The first is to pay £8,000 at the second entry stage on April 6, 2010, followed by £10,000 on May 21, 2010 and £2,500 at the five-day confirmation stage. The final method of entry is to pay the supplementary entry fee of £75,000 on May 31, 2010.

So if you nominate as a yearling and end up running, then it costs £6825 (abt $11,000).
If you nominate in April of 3yo year £20,500 (abt $33,000).
If you wait till the week before the race, £75,000 (abt $120,000).

[juliet]

Canford Cliffs has been retired

Canford Cliffs got clipped in last race and has been retired.