We've all been blessed in presence of a horse for all ages - Frankel's final start remembered

British Champions Day has been lit up by some spectacular moments since its inception, none better than Frankel ending his sensational unbeaten career in style in the 2012 Champion Stakes.

And on Monday, we celebrated another of Frankel's historic successes, with his 2,000 Guineas triumph of 2011 being judged the most important race of the 21st century as it took up the final spot in our epic The Story Of Horseracing In 20 Races series.

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On an imperishable Ascot afternoon marbled through with emotion, the unbeaten force of thoroughbred nature that has been Frankel took his leave of us lesser creatures and now passes from our sight with his place in turf myth and legend forever assured.

And for all his 14 victories and nine consecutive Group 1s, Frankel has long ceased to be about facts and figures. The public's relationship with this unsurpassable horse has become a matter of the heart and, believe me, there were tears speckling the cheers because there is something almost inexplicably humbling about being in the presence of greatness of this magnitude.

We know we have never seen the likes of him and are all but certain that no members of preceding racing generations have either, and watching him and that genius Sir Henry Cecil just made you grateful to your very marrow that their time has also been your time.

And this victory was no bloodless cakewalk. We knew the ground was a threat and that in Cirrus Des Aigles he faced a battle-hardened campaigner who would have to be carried out on his shield in order to be beaten.

And then when the stalls crashed open, there he wasn't. Frankel fell out of the stalls losing a good three lengths and, with pacemaking plans suddenly in a state of disarray as Ian Mongan on Bullet Train looked round to locate his workmate, there were several furlongs of anxiety that this race had all the makings of going wrong on us all.

• Watch: Frankel wins the 2012 Champion Stakes

But to his undying credit Tom Queally never panicked or made any knee-jerk move that might have lit Frankel up mid-race. He turned into Ascot's short straight in fourth and from that moment, until some 20 minutes later when he completed his second lap of honour round the paddock, Ascot racecourse took flight into zones of excitement and sheer joy such as I have never before had the privilege of witnessing on the Flat.

As Frankel answered Queally's questions for the 14th and final time, the crowd sensed that this was not yet in the bag and 32,000 voices were raised as one as they bayed their encouragement to the pink and green.

There was an urgency to the roar and the myriad prayers were answered as Frankel lowered that fine head and began to chew into the leeway.

Frankel (Tom Queally) wins the Champion Stakes from Cirrus Des AiglesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Cirrus Des Aigles is not the faltering type, but he had no answer to the irresistible force in pursuit of him and when the favourite hit the front, battle standard flying, with just over a furlong to run the noise hit a never-to-be-forgotten crescendo as everyone realised that their most heartfelt hopes were coming to a climax before their very eyes.

Queally had to resort to the whip in the final 100 yards but by then the day was won and when he brought Frankel back in front of the stands a couple of minutes later they were packed 20-deep down by the rails as the faithful let their gratitude rip.

And while there was a veritable bedlam of acclaim that broke out when Frankel returned to the winners' enclosure, I doubt that I was alone in feeling a touch of sadness nagging the throat as this was a valedictory day and all final goodbyes are heir to a tear.

The mind flicked back to the other days he has given us. I have seen him 12 wonderful times as he has taken his 14 leaps into immortality. The first was here in the Royal Lodge three years ago when that notable judge Jim McGrath walked back off the stands and said: "That might be the best two-year-old I have ever seen." Move over Nostradamus.

The scene in the Ascot winner's enclosure after the 2012 Champion Stakes, with Khalid Abdullah and Sir Henry Cecil either side of Frankel and Tom QueallyCredit: Tom Dulat (Getty Images)

And what places and heights Frankel has taken us to – the raw, almost impossibly headstrong talent of this horse tamed, honed and refined by Cecil and his Warren Place team into an animal who can genuinely be described as the ultimate racehorse.

As Frankel made his way round the paddock, Cecil could suddenly be spotted entirely on his own watching his career-crowning achievement as the crowds cheered and applauded.

A man born to train a horse such as this, one wondered what was running through his mind as the day is coming when this horse will leave Warren Place and, this time, not return.

Henry accepted my thanks for the days this horse has given us and said he was "too relaxed", but frankly that is the triumph of the way he has been trained. Shane Fetherstonhaugh has played a central role and the quiet Queally has guided him with sure hands, but Frankel has been Henry's masterpiece and, by the trainer's own admission, has been a sustaining force in his unblinking struggle with cancer.

The fight has left its marks on Henry and you ache at the attrition but, by god, he has a gladiator's courage.

And it was fitting that Frankel's last triumph should be at Ascot as Cecil has all but annexed the place down the long years of his immaculate mastery.

And now it is over – "The tumult and the shouting dies, the captains and the kings depart". We have had the privilege of wondrous times gifted to us by a great horse. We have witnessed things beyond the imaginings of other generations and have indeed "Been to the mountain top and seen the Promised Land". Adieu and amen.

Read more on British Champions Day:

'I think he's one of the best' - Arc winner Francis Graffard confident Calandagan can shine in stunning Champion Stakes showdown 

Supplementary entries added to all five Champions Day Group 1s as star-studded fields take shape 

Ombudsman camp supplement pacemaker for Champion Stakes in a bid to repeat successful Juddmonte tactics 

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