Frankel ‘fine’ after Ascot demolition

Frankel (right) was reported to be “fine” back at his Warren Place stables despite losing a shoe during his scintillating performance in the Queen Anne Stakes.

Henry Cecil’s superstar colt was extending his unbeaten record to 11 from wins as many starts in the opening race of Royal Ascot 2012, demolishing old rival Excelebration by 11 lengths.

Cecil said: “He lost a front shoe (in the race). I don’t know where it happened but it got loose in the last furlong and came off.

“It’s been poulticed, but he’s fine and lives to fight another day.

“The idea was to go to Goodwood (Sussex Stakes) and York (Juddmonte International), but everything is open and we’ll see.”

Owner Khalid Abdullah’s racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe said: “He’s come back well, eaten up and seems very happy. No problems.

“It was a breathtaking performance by any standard. I usually just sit and yell from the stands, but actually I just watched open-mouthed.

“It was such a wonderful job done by Henry and Tom (Queally) and everyone back home at Warren Place has been fantastic.

“He is something else isn’t he?

“People come into racing for these very, very special horses.

“The amount of people that have come up to me since and said their son or daughter wasn’t really keen on racing but they saw Frankel and they’re just absolutely mad for it now. It is hugely important for the whole game. It’s fantastic.”

However, Frankel’s effort was not enough to earn the title of best racehorse ever, according to the handicappers at the British Horseracing Authority.

The BHA’s Dominic Gardiner-Hill explained that the proximity of some of the beaten horses holds the form down slightly. Dancing Brave was awarded the highest ever official mark of 141 after his victory in the 1986 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“He he went into the race on 138. I think he’s run to at least that in winning the race yesterday,” Gardiner-Hill said.

“If we put him up, he’ll go up a maximum of a couple of pounds to a mark of 140. ”