Frankel lived up to the billing as he ran out a brilliant winner of the Qipco Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
The build-up to the contest was intense as the star three-year-old miler took on Canford Cliffs, the best from the older generation, and it was Sir Henry Cecil’s Galileo colt who blew away his rival.
Tom Queally was criticised in some quarters for his ride aboard Frankel when winning the St James’s Palace Stakes but he got his tactics absolutely spot on in Sussex.
The early gallop was a slow one as each rider showed reluctance to jump out in front but Queally soon took the bull by the horns and he slowly turned the screw throughout the contest.
As Frankel travelled well within himself inside the final two furlongs Richard Hughes was getting animated on Canford Cliffs while Rio De La Plata and Rajsaman were already too far adrift.
Frankel then powered clear when asked to quicken by Queally in the closing stages while Canford Cliffs drifted to his left under pressure.
The winning distance was officially five lengths and Cecil’s awesome colt was not flattered by that margin of victory one bit.
Cecil said: “I did think he could win very easily, but I thought I’d let the horse do the talking. I do respect the second an awful lot.
“I’ve got to thank the Prince (Khalid Abdullah) and all those involved with him – his work rider and Bullet Train, his three-parts brother, who has led him all year. To lead a horse like that you’ve got to be pretty good
“It’s been a marvellous day and he’s a very good horse.
“I think he’s the best I’ve ever seen.”
Queally added: “He’s absolutely amazing. I’ve said it before – he’s a freak. “He’s got that turbo and he settled well today. He gradually picked himself up furlong by furlong and he was rolling before I wanted him.
“That’s often the case with him, but he was amazing today and I’m just very fortunate to be playing a small part in it.
“I wanted him to settle. Plan A would have been having him in behind getting him relaxed. We had to resort to different things and I just had to use my initiative and thankfully it worked out.
“I tried to have a look at the big screen but there was something blocking it. I kept squeezing away and he kept finding.
“He made the other horses look ordinary and they are very good horses.
“It’s a fantastic day.”