Excelebration makes plenty of appeal at evens without Frankel

Even if he’s an unbackable price for the vast majority of punters, Frankel’s presence in the opening Queen Anne Stakes (2.30) at Royal Ascot provides a fitting start to the flat racing’s finest week.

The world’s highest-rated thoroughbred bids to extend his unbeaten sequence to 11 and unless some of his lesser known rivals can summon something stratospheric, a victorious saunter up Ascot’s straight mile should ensue.

For much of his Classic campaign in 2011, Henry Cecil’s horse was stalked, at a respectful distance, by Excelebration. Then with Marco Botti but in the care of Aidan O’Brien, notions of a vast improvement for a change of address were cordially cut short when the latter took on Frankel for the fourth time, in this season’s Lockinge at Newbury.