Monday, 11 July 2011

Tom Queally On Frankel


Tom Queally was giving nothing away about tactics as he spoke of the task facing Frankel in the Qipco Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

The jockey has ridden the Sir Henry Cecil-trained colt on every outing so far and will be in the plate for the big showdown with Canford Cliffs in the 'duel on the downs' on July 27.

While he was praised for his boldness during the colt's electrifying victory in the 2000 Guineas, he came in for criticism for being too positive at Royal Ascot, when Frankel eventually only scraped home in the St James's Palace Stakes after building a big lead.

Speaking at Goodwood motor circuit, where he took on Canford Cliffs' assistant trainer Richard Hannon jnr and others in super-powered Audis, Queally said: "The feeling I got off him was second to none in the Guineas.


"He won at Ascot, that's the main thing. It's all roads leading to Goodwood and let's hope for a bit of luck there.

"I don't see the track being a problem. Obviously Canford Cliffs has proved it all there before, but Frankel is a well-balanced colt and it shouldn't be a problem. It will be a great spectacle."

Queally declined to reveal what his riding plan would be, but added: "It's hard to know calculating tactics from what we've seen already but from my point of view, you look at chinks in Canford Cliffs' armour.

"You look at the races he has been beaten in before. We'll see."


Goodwood's managing director Adam Waterworth said: "It's just fantastic. The whole idea of the Sussex Stakes is three-year-olds against older horses and you always hope for the archetypal clash when the old champion takes on the new champion. Luckily this year it looks like it might happen.

"I spoke to Teddy Grimthorpe (racing manager for Frankel's owner Prince Khalid Abdullah) and he's looking forward to it as much as anybody."