European champion Frankel remains undefeated in 3-year-old debut

Frankel, the joint champion 2-year-old male in Europe last year, stretched his unbeaten streak to five in Saturday’s Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury Racecourse in England, confirming his status as a heavy favorite for the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on April 30.

Making his first start since October, Frankel, ridden by Tom Queally, stalked the pace in the early stages of the seven-furlong race on a straightaway, took the lead with a furlong remaining and won by a convincing four lengths over Excelebration, a 25-1 outsider in the field of six. Excelebration finished six lengths clear of 18-1 Shropshire. Frankel was timed in 1:24.60.

Trained by Henry Cecil for Juddmonte Farms and named for the late American Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, the colt, by Galileo, left his trainer impressed by his finish.
“He’s had a good blow and hopefully that will put him spot-on for the Guineas,” Cecil told the press after the race. “Tom said he felt about 80 percent today but a couple of bits of work in the build-up should get him to much nearer 100 percent for Newmarket.”

Frankel won four starts at 2, including the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile at Ascot in September and the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October, his final start of 2010.

Dubai Duty Free: Rimth wins first stakes

In the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes run earlier on the Newbury program, Rimth, making her first start since a second in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket last October, rallied from mid-pack to win her first stakes by 1 1/4 lengths over 12-1 Sharnberry in the field of 14 3-year-old fillies.

Rimth, ridden by Christophe Soumillon, was timed in 1:25.34. Cape Dollar, the 5-2 favorite, could only finish seventh.

Rimth races for Denford Stud and trainer Paul Cole, who indicated that the filly by Oasis Dream is likely to start in the French 1000 Guineas at Longchamp on May 15 and not the English 1000 Guineas on May 1. Last year, Rimth had one win in five starts, and placed in three stakes.