The Sussex Stakes - Frankel and Canford Cliffs scare off five other riders to make it a four horse race
The Sussex Stakes line up incredibly depleted to just four runners after five other runners bailed out, possible because Frankel and Canford Cliffs scared them off.
The QIPCO Group 1 Sussex Stakes will be run at Glorious Goodwood on 27 July and the main horses to feature a much anticipated clash were Frankel and Canford Cliffs, who will be facing two other rivals, the French raider Rajasman and the Saeed Bin Suroor
owned Rio de la Plata.
The leading older miler Canford Cliffs will take on the unbeaten Frankel, which now seems to be a two horse race since the possible 9 horse field is cut down to a mere 4 horse field.
The 3-year-old bay colt son of Galileo, Frankel is 7 of 7 in his 2 year racing career and for the first time in his career he will be taking on an older horse.
Sir Henry Cecil trained Frankel has had two starts this year, one at the Newmarket and the other at Ascot in the Royal Ascot.
On 30 April, 2011, Frankel entered the 203rd running of the Group 1 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas for entirely colts and fillies. On a massive field of 13 fillies and colts, Frankel led the field straight from the outset.
Under jockey Tom Queally, the pair conjured up blistering pace which took them at least 10 lengths ahead of the pack reaching halfway.
With that much speed the colt went unchallenged throughout the race and defeated his closest rival Dubawi Gold who finished a massive six lengths behind.
Next up for the 2011 spring/summer meet was the prestigious Royal Ascot. The colt participated in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at the Ascot on 14 June 2011. Under his usual jockey Tom Queally, Frankel got held up at fourth place in the beginning
of the race.
In the one mile event, Frankel made a move five furlongs out and started to chase down the leaders. It took him 2 furlongs to get from fourth position to the leading position, as he left everyone behind and led 3 furlongs out.
With the wire close, Frankel held up a bit, but with Zoffany right on the tail, the colt gathered up pace and shot out to the wire to defeat Zoffany by ¾ of a length.
On the other hand, Canford Cliffs also hasn’t run after the Royal Ascot win over the great mare Goldikova. Though, he is coming off an impressive five wins on the trot. It will be a massive matchup between the two.
It’s a pity that the huge stardom of these two champion horses made others to scratch just by the fear of losing. The insufficient entries prompted a reoffering but no declarations were to be seen.
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