Frankel is all set to be pushed to new heights

Now the even better news: Trainer Sir Henry Cecil’s horse of a lifetime may have to produce a career-best performance to stretch his unbeaten record to 13 races after stablemate Twice Over, last year’s victor, and Breeders’ Cup hero St Nicholas Abbey were also declared.

Far from being a procession up Knavesmire, big-race jockey Tom Queally will have to be on his guard if Frankel is to end a 20-year jinx in the York feature – no debutant stepping up to one and a quarter miles has won the Juddmonte, worth £725,000 and part of the Qipco British Champions Series, since Rodrigo de Triano and Lester Piggott prevailed in 1992.

After all, St Nicholas Abbey – trained by the ever dominant Aidan O’Brien – could potentially have won the 2010 Epsom Derby if his career had not been interrupted by injury while Twice Over – owned, like Frankel, by Prince Khalid Abdullah – is running on merit; he will not be subject to any team orders, though Cecil’s Bullet Train does run as a pacemaker to give Queally the best chance of settling Frankel.

It is not just Frankel venturing into the unknown that makes this nine-runner race so intriguing; St Nicholas Abbey is coming down in distance after winning the Coronation Cup at Epsom over a mile and a half before being a fast-finishing close third to Danedream in Ascot’s King George.

Nevertheless, it will still be one of the greatest upsets in horse racing history, far greater than Brigadier Gerard’s shock defeat in the 1972 inaugural running of the International, if Frankel is defeated. And Cecil, for one, appears unperturbed and still hopes to travel to York tomorrow – he missed Frankel’s most recent win in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood because of ongoing cancer treatment.

“Although I have had some medical treatment recently and not been racing because my immune system is low, I have been able to work from home,” he said. “I am very hopeful that I will be able to make it to York to saddle my horses. I just cannot miss the day and I want to be there for Frankel.

“Frankel seems in good order at the moment leading into the Juddmonte. I do not think the distance is going to be a problem, although we are going into unknown territory.”

That view was shared by former National Hunt champion Richard Dunwoody in his respected form guide for the sportinglife.com website. “There is every reason this Galileo colt will be even better over further, it’s just a bit of a shame it’s taken connections 12 runs to try him over this trip,” he said.

“It was interesting to hear my old riding colleague Jamie Osborne’s comment about Frankel. Although he said he can’t see him losing he made an interesting point about Tom Queally having to get the fractions spot on over this new trip, otherwise there could just be nothing left in the tank in the closing stages, and with proven stamina horses in opposition he could be vulnerable.

“I agree, but Tom is a top-class pilot and I can’t see it being an issue.”

The only disappoinment is that John Gosden’s Eclipse hero Nathaniel will not run; the ground is too fast for a horse who lost by half a length to Frankel when the two clashed on their racecourse debuts two years ago.

The Frankel factor is reflected in advanced ticket sales, with York looking to eclipse last year’s four-day attendance of just over 90,000 when the Betfred Ebor – Europe’s richest handicap – was staged on a Saturday for the first time.

James Brennan, the head of marketing, said the sales are considerably up for the Juddmonte, but it was too early to conclude whether these are newcomers to racing – or York diehards switching from other days so they can witness an all-time great. Nevertheless, he is hopeful that the Festival will still attract between 90,000 and 100,000 spectators, even though the final day clashes with rugby league’s Challenge Cup final and Yorkshire’s participation in the Twenty20 finals day.

Tomorrow’s Neptune Investment Management Great Voltigeur Stakes – a final trial for next month’s Ladbrokes St Leger – sees Cecil saddle both Thomas Chippendale, owned by Yorkshire tycoon Sir Rogert Ogden – and Frankel’s full brother Noble Mission.

Favourite is the David Lanigan-trained Main Sequence who chased home the Triple Crown-seeking Camelot in the Epsom Derby back. But Cecil is confident. He said: “Thomas Chippendale is an improving colt and I will be disappointed if he does not run a really big race. We are going to run Noble Mission without a hood as he seems to be maturing and more settled now.”

Ground conditions are to the liking of Ryan’s trio

IN-FORM Kevin Ryan hopes to lead the Yorkshire charge at this week’s Ebor festival.

His Hambleton Lodge team has no fewer than three runners in the curtain-raising Symphony Group Handicap tomorrow.

Lexi’s Hero and Dixie’s Lad have good pieces of form to their name but the stable’s leading chance of starting the meeting with a bang appears to be Le Toreador, who was only beaten a short head in a similar race at Glorious Goodwood three weeks ago.

“He was unlucky at Goodwood and is a good consistent horse. All three are good fast horses and the (good to firm) ground will suit them. But it’s a tough race,” said the trainer.

Ryan also reports that his trio of Tiddliwinks, Masamah and Bogart are on schedule to line up in Friday’s Group One Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes.

“All three will run. They are all good horses in their own right – they would not be going there if they weren’t,” he said.

However, Ryan is taking nothing for granted ahead of a meeting that features nine Group races and Europe’s richest Flat handicap.

“Every race is competitive – there are no easy ones,” he added.

“It’s a meeting where you love to have winners as York is a wonderful racetrack and it’s so well organised.

“Everything is done to suit your owners and if we can get winners, it’s an added bonus. We’ll have plenty of runners all week – the horses are in good form.”

Motivado’s 4lb penalty for an impressive victory at Glorious Goodwood should ensure he makes the cut for Saturday’s Betfred Ebor.

Sir Mark Prescott’s colt is now on the threshold of making the frame for the valuable 20-runner handicap, for which he has been trading at around the 9-2 mark.

Irish horses dominate the head of the weights at the latest confirmation stage, with Jessica Harrington’s quality versatile performer Steps To Freedom sitting on the top of the pile ahead of Willie Mullins’s dual Royal Ascot winner Simenon.

Of the other leading contenders in the betting, John Gosden’s Camborne is safely in, as is Hammerfest, but the James Fanshawe-trained High Jinx is missing.

Trainer Clive Cox confirmed Reckless Abandon will be aimed towards the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on October 13. The juvenile remains unbeaten from four starts after Sunday’s Group One victory in the Prix Morny at Deauville.

“I was delighted with the way he skipped clear,” said Cox. “That was his first run over six furlongs and I’m inclined to think there’s no need to step up too quickly.”