QIPCO British Champions Day memories: Frankel's farewell performance

A most memorable Champion Stakes, made extra special by Frankel's participation, and it will forever be remembered as the final race of a true champion's career, getting the better another top-class opponent in Cirrus Des Aigles, whose performance in finishing second here would have been good enough to win any average renewal of this contest comfortably.

There was some confusion in terms of tactics through the early stages, Frankel missing the break leading to hesitation from Ian Mongan aboard supposed pacemaker Bullet Train, so the early pace was nothing special, but it soon began to wind up once they'd sorted themselves into positions and it ended up being a sound test under demanding conditions; they finished in ratings order, too, so there's a very solid look to the form, with no reason to doubt it.

FRANKEL is the horse of a lifetime, not just a generation, and he completed his exceptional career with another Group 1 success, his tenth in total, ensuring that he'll retire with the race-record to match his status as the greatest racehorse in Timeform's history, a perfect 14 from 14, and, although this performance itself wasn't quite so special as some that Frankel has produced before, it was still another outstanding effort faced with testing ground on only his second try beyond 1m.

The day wasn't without scares it has to be said, heavy rainfall having briefly left Frankel's participation hanging in the balance, but after connections walked the track in the morning he was thankfully given the thumbs up; there was a scare as the race started too, Frankel dwelling in the stalls, losing a couple of lengths and needing to be rousted up by Queally to recover into a mid-field position, but once he got on terms it was pretty much plain sailing, breezing through the gears from the home turn, swiftly making up ground early in the straight, leading on the bridle under 2f out and shaken up to assert, perhaps lacking the brilliant acceleration that he's constantly produced on good/good to firm ground but still well on top of another fresh top-class middle-distance rival (arguably his toughest yet) in Cirrus Des Aigles.

He's now defeated a total of 23 individual Group 1 winners throughout his career; his 11-length demolition of Excelebration (who earlier on Champions Day gained his third Group 1 success) in the Queen Anne will go down as Frankel's best performance, but there's great depth to his achievements generally, 4 times having achieved a bare form rating of at least 143, a level itself that only 3 others (Sea Bird, Brigadier Gerard and Tudor Minstrel) have shown even once since Timeform ratings began, plus there's been plenty of other remarkable performances for which the bare facts don't do him justice, most notably his explosive display of dominance in last year's 2000 Guineas.

Tribute must be paid to his connections, and in particular Sir Henry Cecil, who has handled Frankel expertly since day one, maturing him from the ebullient 3-y-o of spring 2011 into a fully-relaxed, consummate professional that has been on show throughout this defining 4-y-o season; the Frankel legacy is one that will last forever.

CIRRUS DES AIGLES (FR) had his optimum conditions and ran the race of his life, worth plenty of credit for getting closer to Frankel than any have since last year's St James's Palace (when Frankel was way below form under an ill-judged ride), well on top of the rest, including an in-form Nathaniel, and, even though he hasn't won, this performance makes him the highest rated middle-distance horse in training now Frankel's retirement has been confirmed; he led early before headed by Bullet Train after around 3f, then led again over 2f out, quickening up soon after but unable to trouble the winner, headed under 2f out and sticking to his task without being a match; he disappointed when only fifth in the Hong Kong Cup on the back of winning this race 12 months ago but is a fresher horse this year, having missed the mid-season, and if that's the target once again then he can be expected to give a much better account.

NATHANIEL (IRE) is a fully-established Group 1 performer in his own right but his merit in terms of performance level is well established by now and he quite simply wasn't capable of matching Frankel or Cirrus Des Aigles, doing all that he could himself by running right up to his best; tracked pace, challenged over 2f out, struggling to stay with first 2 over 1f out and proved one paced; his reliability in top company has been impressive and he'll now be retired to stud having had a very successful career, with wins in the 2011 King George and 2012 Eclipse the highlights.

PASTORIUS (GER) faced the stiffest task of his career, out of Germany for the first time, and he ran just about as well as could be expected, beaten only by a trio who arrived with a better-standard of form and all gave their running; held up, effort early in straight, kept on without threatening; he's proved reliable this term but it'll require a fair bit of improvement if he's to be fully competitive in the top European middle-distance events next year.

MASTER OF HOUNDS (USA) wasn't up to the task against the very best around, whilst the ground was also softer than he'd ever encountered before, waited with and weakening over 2f out.

BULLET TRAIN has played his part in the Frankel story, in the pacemaking role for his younger half-brother once again here, restrained briefly after Frankel had dwelt in the stalls but taking over after about 3f until over 2f out before fading.

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