Betting Struggling to split Canford Cliffs and Frankel Ahead of Goodwood Clash

There is no questioning that the highlight of this year's  Glorious Goodwood meeting which gets underway on Tuesday 26th July, is the Sussex Stakes which will see Europe's leading four year old miler, Canford cliffs and Europe’s leading three year old miler, Frankel go head-to-head in a race that has got the racing world debating.
The race which has long been anticipated is one of those rare occasions when the connections of both horses are prepared to put everything on the line in the full knowledge that their horse could end up as only second best.
The Frankel versus Canford Cliffs battle takes place at 15:10 (BST) on Wednesday 27th July and opinion about which one of the two is going to win is split. Certainly the Bookmakers can't seem to decide who will win with any confidence, with Frankel currently an extremely narrow favourite with odds of 11/10 whilst Canford Cliffs is marginally bigger at 6/5.

The Richard Hannon trained Canford won this race last year after Goodwood witnessed him in another superb duel with the Aidan O’Brien trained, Rip Van Winkle. That win confirmed him as the best miler in the UK and 12 months on, he is now regarded as the best miler in the world after he beat the the brilliant filly and three-times Breeders Cup Mile. winner, Goldikova, in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

Frankel however is unbeaten in seven starts and his win in the 2000 Guineas was nothing short of sensational, winning the Classic by six lengths. The Henry Cecil trained Colt showed such pace that day that not even Canford Cliffs would have caught him, running over the distance of a mile witht he speed of a sprinter, which is why he is rated a 3Ib better horse on official figures. That said, Frankel was not as impressive last time out when he won the St James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, a ¾ length win from the chasing Zoffany, who opposes him again in the ‘Sussex’. On that occasion it is thought that Frankel's jockey may have gone for home too soon and a similar premature shot for home would play perfectly in to the hands of Canford Cliffs who likes to be held up at the back before coming late.

For impartial racing followers, it doesn't really matter whether it's Canford Cliffs or Frankel who emerges victorious, however, in such a big race it is likely that anyone who has had a bet on the race will be cheering on one or the other. With such focus on the this leading duo, it will be a huge disappointment if there is any other runner in the first two, let alone winning the race.  It's difficult to call whether it will go to the improving Frankel, who has shown enough to suggest that he could be one of the best ever or the proven class and experience of Canford Cliffs but one thing is for sure, it is unlikely to be the last time that these two equine stars meet.