QIPCO Sussex Stakes (Group 1)
July 26, 2011
The most talked about race of the season so far without doubt. A match between Frankel and Canford Cliffs that won’t let us down. The anticipation has been eager since the 2000 Guineas this year. Everyone has looked forward to this and it will live up to the expectations and most probably even exceed them.
Rio De La Plata and Rajsaman oppose and standing their ground must be congratulated. They are there only to play bit parts but in terms of how this race goes their being there is crucial.
It will all be about the tactics or will it?
Will Frankel do what he did at Newmarket and burn off his rival with his enormous stride of will he wait before releasing the throttle in the last two furlongs? The fascination is that he can do either.
Canford Cliffs is a real high-class traveller who has just sat in behind and picked them off at will in the last furlong. Will he be able to match the stride of Frankel and still have enough left to pick him off?
How about the form?
Well there is no holes in either colts CV.
The Richard Hannon colt has beaten all the best over a mile last year and this. The striking thing about the 2010 three-year old crop was how good the miler’s were. In the end their was only one. He since added a Lockinge and a Queen Anne to go with the three Group 1’s of last year.
Sir Henry Cecil’s has never lost a race in his seven career starts and boy does his form stand up. From his racecourse debut when he put Nathaniel to the sword he has just got better and better. He has the ability to destroy the hearts and minds of the opposition both equine and human.
There only one result we want, a dead heat. Do you think they’ll both stay 10 f? So You Think? Whow, easy now.
