Story highlights
Unbeaten Frankel wins Queen Anne Stakes in opening race of Royal Ascot meeting
Henry Cenci's colt wins for the 11th time in succession
Frankel starts the race as hot favorite at odds of 1-10
Reasserts claims to be recognized as greatest racehorse of all time
Frankel first, the rest nowhere. Astonishing Frankel won the Queen Anne Stakes, the opening race of Royal Ascot, in spectacular style on Tuesday, smashing a classy field by 11 lengths to reassert his claims to be recognized as the world’s best racehorse.
The fans have come in their droves to Royal Ascot this week to see another wonder horse, Black Caviar, the Australian superstar who will make her appearance here on Saturday.
But the performance of the week - arguably the performance of the year - has already been seen here. It might just be the race to end all races as the unbeaten Frankel recorded his 11th successive victory.
The Sir Henry Cecil-trained four-year-old was sent off at odds of 1-10 on Tuesday, meaning a $10 bet would earn you just $1 profit. In hindsight, those odds seemed like a good deal.
Long time rival Excelebration, whom Frankel beat by a comfortable five lengths at Newbury in May, had been given orders not to let Frankel open up ground. Despite the best efforts of Excelebration’s jockey, Joseph O’Brien, those orders soon proved futile.
Once Tom Queally, Frankel’s jockey, opened the tap there was no way any other horse was going to get close to Frankel, the giant bay increasing his lead with every one of his all-devouring strides.
Still in full flow as he passed the winning post, it is hard to recall a performance like his by any horse in recent memory.
“Breathtaking”, “astonishing”, “brilliant” were just some of the milder adjectives murmured by appreciative fans, even the inexperienced racegoers among them sensing they were witnessing something extraordinary.
Is Frankel the greatest racehorse of all time? Probably. Will we ever see his likes again? Don’t bet on it.