telephone: +44 1933 440077 email: ihelp@weatherbys.co.uk
Sir Henry Cecil plans to take Frankel for a racecourse gallop at Newmarket on Sunday as he builds towards his eagerly-anticipated seasonal return.
The world's highest-rated Flat horse suffered a leg injury earlier this month and for a brief period there were real concerns about the four-year-old's future racing career.
A subsequent scan revealed the unbeaten nine-time winner had suffered no serious damage though, and he is now back in full work ahead of his likely return in the JLT Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on May 19.
"At the moment everything is going fine and we're going to have a racecourse gallop, hopefully on Sunday at Newmarket. Fingers crossed all goes well and hopefully we'll get to the Lockinge," Cecil told At The Races.
The clash everyone wants to see this summer is Frankel versus the world's second highest-rated racehorse, Australian wonder-mare Black Caviar. Peter Moody's six-year-old stretched her unbeaten record to 20 last weekend and she is on course to run in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Although she has largely been campaigned over sprint distances, she has been successful over seven furlongs and connections have not ruled out stepping up to a mile at some stage. That would leave the door open for a mouthwatering clash with Frankel, with the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood seemingly the only conceivable contest in which the pair could meet.
It is a battle Cecil would relish.
He added: "She's a brilliant filly, obviously, and so consistent. It's difficult to assess the form over there. Are they as good over there as here? I'd love to meet her. Our only chance to meet her would be if she runs in the Sussex Stakes. I would look forward to it.
"I respect her a lot but I respect my horse as well."
