How the legendary Frankel put paid to the slogan 'it's quicker by train'

To celebrate the relaunch of Newmarket Gallops, we recall one of the greatest gallops of them all – when Frankel beat a commuter train. The article below was first published in the Racing Post on Thursday, March 31, 2011

Frankel yesterday put paid to the old advertising slogan ‘it’s quicker by train’ by outrunning the 7.13am passenger service from Newmarket to Cambridge, providing further compelling evidence his campaign for Classic honours is firmly on schedule.

That was not the only train he left in his wake, as the Guineas and Derby favourite scorched 20 lengths clear of lead horse Bullet Train in a workout which left trainer Henry Cecil declaring his potential superstar “nearly there”. The Al Bahathri Polytrack, which runs parallel to the Ipswich to Cambridge rail line, has been the scene of many failed equine attempts to lay up even with freight trains, but Frankel put on a show for the watching commuters, after which he was cut by Coral to 4-1 favourite (from 5) for the Investec Derby.

After having an easy weekend while Cecil was at the Dubai World Cup, Frankel was settled beautifully by Shane Fetherstonhaugh in a decent-paced spin and was still travelling powerfully at the business end of the seven-furlong exercise.

Frankel, generally odds-on for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas next month and cut for the Derby after featuring among the Totesport Dante entries, is set to work on the Limekilns grass gallop this weekend or next week, depending on the weather, before heading to the Greenham Stakes – also backed by Totesport – at Newbury on April 16.

Cecil said: “I think Frankel is nearly there and the key with him is that he’s now beautifully settled.

“Hopefully we can get him back on the grass before long but we desperately need some rain as the ground is still quite firm.”

Last year Cecil expressed doubts Frankel would stay the Derby trip, but having seen the colt become more relaxed over the winter, he included him among the five horses he has engaged in York’s renowned trial for the Epsom Classic, for which there were 70 entries yesterday.

These included other prominent Derby contenders Casamento, Dubai Prince, Roderic O’Connor, Carlton House, Seville and Recital.

Owner Khalid Adbullah’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said: “We have entered Frankel in the Totesport Dante, it being the best Derby trial.

“But how far he might stay has yet to be determined – Henry has said that the horse will tell us. First, Frankel will head to the 2,000 Guineas. We’ll have to see what he does, how he does it and everything else at Newmarket, and go on from there.”

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