Frankel powers clear of Excelebration (far left) to make it win number ten

PICTURE: Edward Whitaker/(racingpost.com/photos)

 BY JAMES HILL3:21PM 19 MAY 2012

Report: Newbury, Saturday

JLT Lockinge Stakes (British Champion Series) (Group 1)1m 4yo+

HE’S BACK. Frankel made it a remarkable ten wins from ten career starts with a scintillating reappearance in easily seeing off his old rival Excelebration for the fourth time.

The 2-7 favourite took up the running over a furlong from home and when Tom Queally asked him the response was immediate. He powered into top gear and Excelebration simply couldn’t go with him. Dubawi Gold was back in third.

This was a big day for Prince Khalid Abdullah’s colt in what was his first run as an older horse. Greater tests await in the summer, but the atmosphere had been building throughtout the afternoon as every racing fan waited for his return. Thankfully, the horse himself seemed to take the premlimaries in his stride and, much to Sir Henry Cecil’s relief, he didn’t let his supporters down.

“It hasn’t been straightforward as he had ten days off,” said the winning trainer. “It’s not been easy but we’ve got him throught it and he’s done exactly what I wanted him to do”

Not surprisingly a bit fresh in the early stages, Queally tacked his mount onto to the back of pacemaker and three-quarter brother Bullet Train, who gave a lovely lead before Queally decided to say go.

Excelebration had been tracking Frankel throughout and travelled just as well, but he simply doesn’t have the speed of his rival and was left floundering once again. The margin was five lengths at the line with a further four lengths back to Dubawi Gold.They had gone a good gallop and there was no argument as to the authority of this success. What a prospect we have for the rest of the season.

Queally was thrilled with his mount afterwards. “It’s a great relief he’s come back – I know he had a little scare a while back. It’s great for everyone – he belongs to racing,” said the winning rider.

“He showed that burst of acceleration and he’s not like anything I’ve sat on. He’s grown up, he’s a thicker set – look at him now he’s the real deal.”

Sir Henry Cecil: “He has done exactly what I wanted him to”PICTURE: Edward Whitaker

Frankel and his trainer were given a fantastic reception by the crowd when they returned to the winner’s enclosure. This colt has certainly captured people’s hearts and everyone will now want to know what his next race will be. He has a choice at Royal Ascot and it is a question of whether he stays over the same distance in theQueen Anne or goes up to 1m2f in the Prince of Wales’s.

“He’s in the two at Ascot,we’ll see,” said Cecil. “His first race is never his best and he’ll come on for this.”

William Hill now go 1-3 Frankel for the Queen Anne and make him even money (from 7-4) to remain unbeaten throughout this season, while Paddy Power go odds-on. Who would bet against it.

There will now be lots of talk of a match-up with record-breaking Australian sprinter Black Caviar now. However to expect the great mare to move up in distance and take on this monster is surely pie in the sky and the biggest test for Frankel is likely to come when he moves up in distance and has to give weight to a top-class three-year-old. Let us not forget his stamina is yet to be tested.

By Racingpost