The full of himself, Frankel, likely to miss the Champion Stakes due to the ground concerns
The craze that sold out around 32,000 more tickets than a Qipco meeting at Ascot will attract, is fading down a bit due to the ground concerns of Frankel’s connections. His last Champion Stakes to be or not to be are strictly aligned with the weather conditions impacting the ground conditions.
The heavy ground surface at places due to the initial drizzling and then some rain is not only Frankel specific, it is a ground condition that any and all connections would want to avoid due to the fear of injuries to their under charges.
Stickels, the ground clerk, said: "We had drizzle all morning that didn't amount to much but then steadier rain came on in the afternoon and by 4.15pm we had had 3mm, which prompted me to change the ground to soft, heavy in places on the round course”.
Galileo’s colt has never faced such ground conditions in the thirteen career starts, and it is highly likely that he will get withdrawn from the line-up of the £1.3 million Champion Stakes if the soft and heavy in places ground conditions persist.
On Thursday, Master of Hounds, Pastorius and Frankel’s stable mate, Bullet Train, were withdrawn from the line-up.
The challenges, in case the top miler of the world races, is the French racing inspiration, Cirrus Des Aigles, and the Coral-Eclipse champion, Nathaniel.
For the first time in the four-year-old’s career, there is high suspicion of his rivals taking over in case the rain refuses to stop.
If a half hearted decision leads to Frankel racing despite the highly testing ground conditions then the connections will have to face the eventualities of an injured and defeated Frankel that also in his farewell race of the career.
Both the nightmares can be threatening for his breeding career which is expected to become the cash cow for Sir Henry Cecil’s stables. The jockey, Tom Queally, who has never missed racing his beloved ride to the winner’s enclosure, will find it hard to put up in case of losing.
"What I have always said is that as long as we are happy the ground is safe for Frankel that will be our call,” the racing manager for Khalid Abdullah commented.
"I could not be happier with him. He seems full of himself.
"I am so lucky to have been allocated Frankel to train. He has been an inspiration and challenge, which I really needed so badly,” stated the trainer.
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