Horse racing: Frankel glorious at Goodwood

With a six-length victory in the Qipco Sussex Stakes, jockey Tom Queally says Frankel doesn't have to improve. He's already as good as it gets.

After winning the Qipco Sussex Stakes by six lengths over Farhh, right, and the rest of the field, jockey Tom Queally says Frankel, left, does not need to improve.

Goodwood, England // Frankel put in a blistering performance over a mile at the Glorious Meeting on Wednesday to win the Sussex Stakes for a second time.

He took his unbeaten tally to 12 in beating Godolphin's Farhh by a record six lengths under his jockey Tom Queally and became the only dual winner of the race, which was first run in 1841.

The men's 1,500m at the London Olympics does not start until Friday but contrast Hicham El Guerrouj's long-standing record of three minutes, 26 seconds with Frankel's 1:37.56 over 100m farther.

In the process the four year old registered a top speed of 43.19mph.

"You don't have to ask him to do an awful lot and he put distance between them without doing anything major. He just does it so easily," Queally said. "It felt like a piece of work to him and it was exactly what he needed. It was a nice prep for his next race."

The Group 1 event was Frankel's swansong over a mile and the son of Galileo, a dual Derby winner, is now to step up in distance to 10 furlongs in the International Stakes at York, sponsored by Juddmonte, owner Prince Khalid Abdullah's stud, in three weeks.

Lying in wait are Cirrus Des Aigles, the Dubai Sheema Classic winner; Monterosso, the Dubai World Cup winner; and St Nicholas Abbey, the quadruple Group One victor, along with 16 other entries.

When asked whether Frankel could improve for the extra two furlongs Queally was almost indignant.

"Can he get much better?" said the 27-year-old Irishman. "How much better do you want him to get? He's turning Group 1 races into an absolute procession, so he doesn't really have to improve.

"If he is as good as he is now he won't have to improve and should be good enough."

Farhh was deemed to be the best turned out in the paddock and as soon as the gates opened Bullet Train, Frankel's half-brother and pacemaker, took the lead. As the race heated up, Bullet Train began to set an increasingly difficult pace, which had Farhh, ridden by Frankie Dettori, off the bridle three furlongs from home.

Queally took a cheeky look through his legs, and then turned his head seemingly to check what he saw could be believed before he ordered Frankel to put the race to bed.

Farhh went into the contest officially rated 122, which in most years would be good enough to win, and Dettori said there was no shame in finishing second.

"I told Tom to wait for me on Frankel but he didn't; the winner was just awesome," he said.

Godolphin try to pick up the pieces on Thursday when Colour Vision and Lost In The Moment run in the Group 2 Goodwood Cup.

Colour Vision, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, had a hard race when winning the Gold Cup last month at Royal Ascot but has recovered well enough to once again spar with Saddler's Rock, who he beat into third at the Royal Meeting.

"He is so athletic he doesn't need any training," said Simon Crisford, Godolphin's racing manager.

"Saeed keeps him very lightly trained. He had so much match practice last year and although he did have a hard race it didn't leave any scars.

"On better ground he'll be a better horse and you'll be able to see his turn of foot."

Follow us