RACING:HENRY CECIL credits the "inspiration" of Frankel with helping him in his ongoing battle against illness. Frankel runs what is widely expected to be the last race of his career in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Newmarket tomorrow.
Cecil’s career hit a low point in 2005 when he saddled only 12 winners, but the victory of Light Shift in the 2007 Oaks signalled a return to the big time.
The winners began to flow again and then in 2010 when he unleashed Frankel to the world Cecil was thrust right back in the forefront of the public’s conscious.
The Warren Place handler did not attend Frankel’s rout in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood as he continued to receive treatment. He did, however, make an appearance at York and, despite looking frail, said Frankel’s victory had made him feel “20 years better”.
“I am so lucky to have been allocated Frankel to train. He has been an inspiration and challenge, which I really needed so badly,” said Cecil. Through my illness, I feel that the help from my wife Jane and the determination to be there for Frankel has helped me so much to get through the season.”
Despite many heaping praise on Cecil for the way he handled the notoriously feisty Frankel through the early days of his career, the trainer has heaped praise on to his staff, with one particular member coming in for special recognition.
“What Frankel has achieved during the past year is outstanding but I would not like to take all the praise,” said Cecil. “There are a lot of people at Warren Place who have all played their part with Frankel and I really appreciate everyone’s efforts – not least Shane Fetherstonhaugh’s.
“This season, Shane has ridden Frankel entirely at home. I’ve managed his training schedule and preparation, but Shane has carried out the orders to perfection. So, perhaps, it could be said that we – Shane and I – have trained Frankel together!”
High praise for the 35-year-old from Skerries in North County Dublin, who started out with the Balbriggan-based trainer Peter Casey after his passion for the sport was ignited by his father, the late Irish Press racing correspondent Brian Fetherstonhaugh.
A possibility of heavy ground tomorrow looks increasingly like being the greatest fear for Frankel’s supporters with even Nathaniel’s jockey William Buick admitting he is attempting the impossible by trying to win the Champion Stakes. Continuing rain at Ascot would certainly be welcome to connections of the second-favourite Cirrus des Aigles, and Cecil and Tom Queally were not given the forecast they would have have wished for as Frankel takes a potential step into the unknown.
There is huge excitement ahead of what looks very likely to be the valedictory appearance of the world’s finest racehorse but there is a muddled look to the Berkshire weather. Ascot’s head of communications, Nick Smith, provided an update as to how things stood yesterday and said: “Depending on what we get, there’s every chance of some heavy being in the going description tomorrow.”
Queally has been on board Frankel for each leg of his incredible 13-race unbeaten streak, including nine Group Ones. “I don’t think soft would be a problem to him,” said the jockey. It was quite testing on his debut and he handled conditions. Heavy ground might be a different story but if it’s testing, I can’t see it being any concern.” He went on: “He’s got to turn up as good as he has in the past and if he does, he should be very, very hard to beat.”
Aside from his usual work companion and pacemaker Bullet Train, Frankel will face just four other rivals in the 10-furlong finale. Last year’s winner Cirrus Des Aigles has proved a versatile customer while John Gosden’s Eclipse winner Nathaniel is another who likes to get his toe in and he remains the horse to have got closest to Frankel when beaten just half a length on their respective debuts at Newmarket in 2010.
Buick, though, seemed in little doubt he would be fighting for second place at best. “Obviously we’re all going out to beat him, but he’s unbeatable.”
