Frankel makes it 9 from 9 The brilliant Frankel made it nine wins from nine starts in the Group 1, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot this afternoon for his trainer Henry Cecil with Tom Queally aboard. The undoubted horse of 2011 was a little keen in the early stages of the race buried in the pack as stablemate and pacemaker Bullet Train blazed off in front. Queally decided to get his mount rolling four furlongs out and he moved with effortless ease to go in pursuit of the front rank and leader. Two furlongs later Frankel was level and began to stretch clear as he maintained his unbeaten record with his rivals unable to challenge and land anything nearing a serious blow. The winning margin for the 4/11 favourite was four lengths from Excelebration in second and Immortal Verse third. Queally said: "He was as good as ever. "He's getting more professional and he's getting stronger, he's the real deal. Not that he wasn't before. "The race did suit, but it didn't suit. Ian (Mongan, on Bullet Train) did a good job putting the pace to the race but I couldn't get much cover. "He lost his cover and I had to change plans a bit, but he waited until I gave him the office and you saw what happened after that. "He was grown up enough that when there's horses in front of him he doesn't have to pass them until I say go. When I did say go he was electric. "He's the horse of a lifetime for the public, let alone the jockey. Who knows what will happen next year, we have a long winter to get through, but if anyone can get him into next spring it is Henry Cecil. "It's difficult to explain what he means to me, I'm terribly, terribly lucky. "I don't really feel the pressure but it's there. Luckily enough the whip debate took a lot of it off me this week. "I would like to think I handle it pretty well, I enjoy it. I'm not a stone face anyway." Owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, who can count the likes of Dancing Brave among his great horses, said: "He's the best horse I have ever owned. "Many people think he is the best horse they have ever seen. "I am glad to have this horse. I wasn't expecting a performance like that but he is always like that. "I just hope that he does the same thing next year. "Henry is the best trainer. If he says something I believe him."
