RACING NEWS ROUND-UP:JOCKEY TOM Queally is confident a reproduction of Frankel's spellbinding performance in the 2,000 Guineas will be enough to see him follow up in Tuesday's St James's Palace Stakes.
Henry Cecil’s colt produced a scarcely believable display in the first Classic of the season, quickly opening up a big advantage and eating up the Rowley Mile to record a famous win.
He is once again set to go off at long odds-on for his eagerly-anticipated return to the track and his big-race jockey can hardly wait.
“He seems fine – the horse has been good. He’s come out of the race very well and we’re hopeful he can keep his unblemished record intact,” Queally said.
“His Guineas win was amazing – it was brilliance. It was a very special day and one people will remember for a long time.
“If he’s as good as he was at Newmarket, that should be good enough. He should put on a good show on the day, hopefully. It would be nice to think he could win and we can go and enjoy it.”
The Richard Hannon-trained Dubawi Gold chased home Frankel in the Guineas at Newmarket and also filled the runner-up spot in the Irish equivalent.
Hannon’s son and assistant, Richard jnr, could not be happier with the colt’s current condition and is looking forward to Tuesday’s enthralling contest. “He’s absolutely flying and he’s done very well,” Hannon jnr said.
“He didn’t actually have as hard a race in Ireland as he did in Newmarket, so he’ll go there fresher and better hopefully.
“We’ll obviously ride him a bit closer – we have taught him to settle now.
“I think there is a horse in there that will take a lot of beating, even for Frankel, and that is Excelebration. I saw him win in Germany and he looks top-class. I know he was beaten four lengths by Frankel at Newbury, but he looks a hell of a horse.”
Grand Prix Boss is a fascinating contender for his Japanese connections. The Yoshito Yahagi-trained colt has impressed in his homeland, but racing manager Keita Tanaka acknowledges he faces his stiffest task to date on Tuesday.
“Every horse has a chance and we’ve brought the best three-year-old miler in Japan, which is equivalent to Frankel, so it’s very exciting,” Tanaka said.
RADHARCNAFARRAIGEcame with a well-timed challenge to claim top honours in the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes at Leopardstown last evening.
Jim Bolger’s charge was sent off a 14-1 shot in the hands of Kevin Manning and he opted to bide his time as Timeless Call set the early pace in the six-furlong heat.
Although forced to race wide, Radharcnafarraige was still in a good position turning for home and Manning opted to unleash her on the outside. She soon swamped the early leaders but just began to drift slightly in the closing stages.
That allowed Peahen to come with a powerful late run down the middle of the track and while she gave her all for Johnny Murtagh, she just failed by a head at the line.
“We were thrilled to see her back as she was a good two-year-old last year but disappointed on her last two starts,” said Bolger.
