Frankel maintains unbeaten streak at Ascot

Frankel strolled to victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot this afternoon.

Officially rated the best horse in the world, Henry Cecil's colt never looked in any danger as he extended his unbeaten record to nine.

The 4-11 favourite beat his old rival Excelebration by four lengths under Tom Queally, with French filly Immortal Verse in third.

Cecil employed Bullet Train, Frankel's three-parts brother, as a pacemaker but while the rest of the field ignored the target, Queally used him to perfection.

Approaching the three-furlong marker all the other jockeys were begin to ask their mounts to quicken while Queally was still motionless.

Excelebration confirmed himself as the second-best three-year-old around and briefly looked a threat, but when Frankel was asked to seal the race he was imperious.

The race was billed as Frankel's biggest test and he came through it with flying colours, returning to a rapturous reception from the packed grandstands.

Cecil said: "He's a terrific horse. He's done everything we asked of him, and next year he will definitely get a mile and a quarter.

"I was nervous because everything has to go right, but he has really grown up and settles very well. He did it really well.

"It's been a long year and I'm looking forward to the winter.

"I'm very happy. He did everything that we asked, we weren't trying to catch pigeons or anything, we just wanted to win nicely."