The unbeaten Frankel will set the trend early in Royal Ascot week for short priced favourites when he lines up in the Group 1 £250,000 The Queen Anne Stakes (1 mile) tomorrow.
The Sir Henry Cecil trained four year old has firmed into 1-6 favourite and looks certain to remain unbeaten and record his eleventh straight win in the eleven horse field on the opening day of Royal Ascot.
Frankel will clash again with Excelebration who he beat by five lengths in his comeback run in the Group 1 £175,000 Lockinge Stakes (1 mile) at Newbury on May 19 and William Hill betting shop spokeswoman Lucy Rhodes said Frankel will remain unbeaten.
“Frankel looks certain to be one of the shortest-priced winners in the history of Royal Ascot, and, not only has Sir Henry’s celeb been backed in singles despite his prohibitive odds, but victory number 11 will set the multiple ball rolling for the week to come.”
Day two of the Carnival will see the Aidan O’Brien trained So You Think line up as a short priced favourite in the Group 1 £400,000 150th Annniversary Of Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (1 mile 2 furlongs) at Royal Ascot on June 20 to make it back to back Group 1 wins after scoring at the Curragh in the Group 1 £165,000 Tattersalls Gold Cup (1 mile, 2 1/4 furlongs) on May 27.
O’Brien has So You Think back to his best and the Dual Cox Plate winner has been posted at 5-4 in the fourteen horse field ahead Circus Des Aigles at 5-2 with the Sir Michael Stoute trained Carlton House at 4-1.
The leading Irish trainer will then saddle up the 11-10 Gold Cup favourite Fame And Glory the following day looking for another Group 1 win in the £250,000 2 mile 4 furlong staying test.
And the final day of Royal Ascot will see the appearance of Australia’s unbeaten Queen of the turf Black Caviar who will be at the unbackable odds of 1-3 for the Group 1 £500,000 The Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6 furlongs).
Trainer Peter Moody says that Black Caviar is in the best condition of her career and even though he expects her to win on Saturday, a run in the Group 1 £400,000 Darley July Cup (6 furlongs) at Newmarket on July 14 is looking unlikely.
“The July Cup is certainly an option but as I’ve always suggested, the Diamond Jubilee is her sole target,” Moody said.
“There is plenty of racing back home for her and I’ve got a little feeling that if she goes to Ascot and gets the job done it is exactly that, job done, and do we need to run in the July Cup?”
“It’s a time-honoured race and one I’d dearly like to have on my resume, and it’s a race I would love to have on her resume, but I think it’s a massive ask.”
“She’s eight runs into this campaign, unlike the European horses, who are just on the way up. The other thing is the July course is a really undulating course.”
“She’s a filly that’s suffered with issues throughout her career, whether it’s muscular or skeletal, and I just wonder how she’d be suited racing on the July course so I must say at this point in time I’m thinking the Diamond Jubilee would be it, but I’m not ruling it out either.”
