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Cecil casts doubt on Frankel going for Dante, Epsom Derby Henry Cecil on Sunday cast major doubt on the possibility of stretching out FRANKEL (Galileo [Ire]) for a tilt at the 10-furlong Dante S. (Eng-G2) at York on May 12 and the Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) going 1 1/2 miles on June 4. Following the dramatic six-length success of Khalid Abdullah's unbeaten colt in Saturday's Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) at Newmarket, a possible run in the Dante was touted, but that was all but ruled out by his trainer. "Obviously, the Prince will make a decision, and we can tell him what we feel, but the Dante comes up very quick, and to run in a Derby would slightly be guessing," Cecil explained. "It is far more probable, but not definite, that he could go to Royal Ascot for the (June 14) St James's Palace S. (Eng-G1) and take on the older horses over a mile later in the year. There is the (July 27) Sussex S. ([Eng-G1] at Goodwood) and (October 15) Queen Elizabeth II S. ([Eng-G1] at Ascot), and we'll put him in the mile-and-a-quarter races like the (August 17) Juddmonte International ([Eng-G1] at York), as I think he will get that trip now he's settling. "It's all up in the air, but if I don't feel the Derby is right for him, he mustn't go for it. You are going into completely unknown territory, and with the speed he has got, he'd have to be an extraordinary horse to do it. I feel we'd be much better to feel our way and not abuse him. I think at the back of his mind, the Prince is not for Epsom either, and I'm sure (Racing Manager) Teddy (Grimthorpe) will announce it in the next day or two on his behalf. I think eventually, when he grows up and gets a bit stronger, there's every chance he'll get a mile and a quarter. Whether he'll get further than that, time will tell, but I'm not going to test him in the Dante to see if he gets the Derby trip." Commenting on speculation of a drop to sprinting, Cecil was quick to discount that prospect. "I've no intention of thinking of the (July 9) July Cup ([Eng-G1] at Newmarket), and I don't think the Prince is either. I think it will be a mile campaign before moving up to a mile and a quarter, but he'll tell us and we could change our mind." Reflecting on the brilliant performance, the Warren Place conditioner added, "It might sound very facetious, but I expected him to do exactly what he did, because we planned it. He wasn't pulling, he was relaxed and at the end was getting a bit lazy and had no competition. He gets everybody else at it with his stride, and he's a very interesting horse." Frankel has emerged from the race with no problems according to Cecil. "He ate up last night and was hollering for his breakfast this morning, so he's fine. He had 10 minutes stretching his legs and 15 minutes picking grass, and it looks as if he's taken it well -- he had a race, but was not distressed. He looks exhausting to watch, but he's well within himself, and so probably didn't have as hard a race as people think. We are in no rush, so we'll bring him back quietly." The British Horseracing Authority's Mile Handicapper Dominic Gardiner-Hill has given Frankel a provisional rating of 130 pounds after his Guineas romp, which equals that of Zafonic in 1993. "He was a bit special and visually it was absolutely stunning," Gardiner-Hill said Sunday. "From a handicapper's point of view, it wasn't the easiest, and there is no way we can know if 130 is fair until we see these horses again. There is a pattern emerging with Frankel, in that every time a really good horse turns up to take him on, they seem to disappoint, and you have to start taking the view that, to an extent, he is so good he breaks the hearts of those that try and give him a race."
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