Frankel Bids To Become The First Greenham Winner To Land The 2000 Guineas Since 1976

The 2000 Guineas favourite, Frankel, trained by Henry Cecil, makes his seasonal reappearance at Newbury this weekend in the Group Three Greenham Stakes where he will take on the Richard Hannon trained, Strong Suit, winner of the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last year.

It looks at this stage as if eight runners will go to post for this important Guineas Trial, which quite surprisingly has not produced a 2000 Guineas winner since Wollow way back in 1976, which incidentally, was also trained by Cecil.

For the first time it would appear that Cecil will employ a pacemaker for the unbeaten Frankel on Saturday, which will come in the form of Picture Edition, who has a fair record himself as a two year old, winning twice, including a Conditions race. If this proves the case then in some ways it confirms the reports emanating from Newmarket suggesting that Frankel is beating everything on the gallops at home and is raring to resume his winning ways as three year old.

Frankel was widely regarded as the top two year old last season, after winning the Group One Dewhurst Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket, where he had the Aidan O’Brien trained Roderic O’Connor over two lengths behind in second. Also behind was the previously unbeaten, Dream Ahead, who still holds a higher official rating of 127, despite being well back in fifth place.

The third horse home in the Dewhurst, Glor Na Mara, trained by Jim Bolger in Ireland is likely to make the trip over to Berkshire on Saturday and re-oppose, but he will need to improve considerably to have any chance of reversing the form.

Strong Suit looked a good thing in the making when winning at Royal Ascot, but his two subsequent races as a juvenile were disappointing, although his third place when a ½ length behind the winner, Zoffany in the Group One Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh was not a bad effort at all. It was in his final race as a two year old, the Group One, Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket where he looked most exposed, going down by all of nine lengths to Dream Ahead.

Godolphin have entered Neebras in the race, who was last seen finishing second just under a length behind Libranno, from the Richard Hannon yard, in the Group Two July Stakes at Newmarket last year. Libranno runs in the Craven Stakes in midweek which should give a few clues as to the chances of Neebras in this, but on all known form, he would have a lot to find to topple Frankel in this race.

Shropshire from the Barry Hills yard looks well out of his depth in this, particularly if opinion is based on his last performance as a two year old. More credence in fact is given to the entry from the Marco Botti stable who run, Excelebration, who won his final two races as a juvenile, including a decent Conditions Stakes victory at Newmarket last July.

However, all eyes will be on Frankel come 3:10 on Saturday afternoon with the son of Galileo set to go off odds-on favourite to stretch his unbeaten run to five. It will be very interesting to see if anything can live with him for the seven furlong dash, but of most interest will be his antepost price in the 2000 Guineas after he has won; he is already 5/6 in the 2000 Guineas odds to win the first colts classic and a win in the manner every expects could see him go off the shortest price Guineas favourite for many years at Newmarket on Saturday 30th April.