After meeting Frankel, Cirrus Des Aigles eyeing Hong Kong Cup
Cirrus Des Aigles’ dream of beating Frankel did not come true, but he would always cherish his good race against the world’s best horse. On his latest start at Royal Ascot, the 6-year-old was second to Frankel, missing the crown only by a length and three-quarters.
Beating Sir Henry Cecil’s unbeaten colt was a herculean task, but Cirrus Des Aigles did what was actually possible. He outsmarted Nathaniel, who - according to many - had the second best chance.
Cirrus Des Aigles’ camp expressed delight over the outcome, and trainer Mme C Barande-Barbe, in particular, was very happy to see her charge giving a lot of tough time to Frankel.
After running a good race in England, the son of Even Top is aiming for another crack at the Hong Kong Cup - the race he was fifth last year. The trainer has confirmed the Hong Kong championship as a part of the bay gelding’s future plans.
She stated: "I'm feeling great. It was an honour to meet Frankel and I'm very proud of my gelding. There was a moment when I thought maybe he could do. It was a great day and it was like a victory to make Frankel gallop. There are no regrets, we are proud
and can show we're the best in the world with Frankel going to stud."
Speaking to At The Races, she added: "He'll probably go to Hong Kong. I saw him after the race and he looked great and I've been told this morning he's eaten everything and is happy."
Bred by M. Yvon Lelimouzin & M. Benoit Deschamps, the skilful runner is enjoying a highly productive season. After making his seasonal debut with the runner-up spot, he raised his game to ensure a couple of marvellous wins in March-April.
Just a couple of weeks before his latest strike, the Jean-Claude-Alain Dupouy-owned won the Group 2, Qatar Prix Dollar at Longchamp. After doing plenty of good work, he started his Great Britain campaign on a high, seizing the second place behind Frankel
in the Qipco Champion Stakes.
Cirrus Des Aigles is going to face a hard opposition in the Hong King Cup, but a fine act against Frankel will definitely work as a confidence booster. It will be interesting to see how he utilises his skills to take the big honour.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not reflect Bettor.com’s editorial policy.
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