Watch Frankel's Greenham victory on RPTV
Frankel back with a bang with Greenham romp
Report: Newbury, Saturday
Totesport.com Greenham Stakes (Group 3) 7f, 3yo
FRANKEL cemented his place at the head of the Qipco 2,000 Guineas market with an impressive victory on his seasonal debut in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes.
Frankel was a best-priced 5-6 for the Guineas before Saturday's victory, but Victor Chandler, who laid a bet of £550,000 on Frankel for the Guineas earlier in the week, now offer just 4-9 about the son of Galileo extending his winning record to six at Newmarket.
Bookmakers were unanimous in cutting Frankel for the first Classic of the season, although Boylesports, Stan James and Coral offer a tempting 4-6. Ladbrokes make Frankel a 7-2 chance (from 9-2) for the Investec Derby.
The victory allayed the fears of trainer Henry Cecil, who earlier this week expressed his concern over the fitness of his string.
Unbeaten in four starts at two, including a Group 1 victory in the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes, Frankel was sent off the 1-4 favourite in the hands of Tom Queally and never gave his supporters a moment's worry.
Queally attempted to anchor his mount as the field jumped from the stalls but Frankel had soon pulled himself into a clear second behind stablemate Picture Editor through the first quarter-mile.
The winner did drop the bit through the middle part of the race, but such was his superiority over his five rivals, Queally soon let his mount stride on.
The Marco Botti-trained Excelebration , an unconsidered 25-1 chance, was the only rival to offer any resistance but two flicks of the whip saw Frankel move through the gears in the manor of an exceptional horse, pulling four lengths clear of the runner-up.
Tom Queally: "more to come"
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)"He did it well," said Queally. "It's the first run of the season and he's entitled to improve a great deal from that.
"The biggest problem I had was pulling him up. That's his trial and it's nice he's won it. What I like is there's more left in reserve."
A relieved Henry Cecil added: "Picture Editor was not goingquite fast enough so Tom [Queally] gave him a smack to teach him.
"He could hardly pull him up at the end. Whatever he did today he'll improve. Hopefully this will put him spot on for the Guineas.
"It wasvery satisfactory. The weather messed up his preparations, I've not let him off the bit at home. This will do him the world of good, Tom thought he was about 80 per cent fit and there is loads to work on."
The disappointment of the race was Coventry Stakes winner Strong Suit, who remained in last place throughout the 7f contest.
Frankel will now bid to emulate Wollow (1976), also trained by Henry Cecil, in completing the Greenham-Guineas double on April 30.
William Hill make Khalid Abdullah's superstar 10-1 to remain unbeaten throughout the season.
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