Racing: Cecil looks beyond a mile for Frankel

After clashing with Canford Cliffs in the Sussex Stakes, star colt faces Ascot test.

Top British 3-year-old Frankel could step up in distance to 10 furlongs on the inaugural British Champions Day at Ascot in October after connections described a crack at York's Juddmonte International as "probably unlikely".

Henry Cecil's brilliant colt is gearing up for a mouth-watering clash with Canford Cliffs, generally regarded as the best older miler in training, in the Sussex Stakes on July 26 at the Glorious Goodwood meeting.

While Frankel's owner Khalid Abdullah would dearly love to win the York race he sponsors through his Juddmonte breeding operation, his racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe, believes Ascot could provide a better option to whether the colt stays at a mile (1600m) or moves up in distance.

"He worked really well on Wednesday and looks in really good form," Grimthorpe said.

"I wouldn't have thought he'd go to the Breeders' Cup. I would think he'll probably end up at Ascot on Champions Day in either the mile [QEII] or the mile-and-a-quarter [Champion Stakes] race.

"Whether he'd go to the Juddmonte after the Sussex would be debatable just three weeks after, as much as we'd all love that, so it would be up to Henry how he reached either the QEII or the Champion Stakes.

"There is a chance [he could run in the Juddmonte] but it's probably unlikely. We could be looking to go that way but whether the Juddmonte will come too soon, we'll have to judge."

Stablemate Workforce is an intended runner in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot next weekend as long as the ground is suitable.

Last year's Derby and Arc winner badly disappointed in the race last year and there had been rumblings he may miss this season's renewal following his narrow defeat to So You Think in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

However, Teddy Grimthorpe, owner Khalid Abdullah's racing manager, reiterated that Sir Michael Stoute's colt will be in the line-up if there is sufficient give in the ground.

"He's an intended runner if the ground is all right," Grimthorpe said.

"We have no worries taking him back there.

"He's come out of Sandown very well - physically he has developed pretty well - and he's had two races so I can't think of a good reason why we wouldn't go."

Abdullah would have an able deputy in Midday if Workforce was prevented from running.

"I always said that if for any reason Workforce didn't go, it could be an option for Midday," said Grimthorpe.

"Henry [Cecil] would like to consider it, but if Workforce ran she would go for the Nassau. Her run in Ireland puzzled us a bit, maybe she doesn't like the Curragh."

-PA