Frankel Now Priced at 8/15 For Guineas Glory

The five-day declaration stage is now passed and Qipco 2000 Guineas frontrunner Frankel (Galileo) has been clipped to 8/15 as fifteen contenders remain in the contest. The most notable recent dropout is certainly the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner Dream Ahead (Diktat). Trained by David Simcock, the three-year-old bay or brown colt would not have enjoyed the supposedly faster going that runners will see when the Guineas meeting kicks off this Saturday.

Henry Cecil's Frankel fulfilled all expectations when storming home to victory in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes in his Guineas prep and, with his pace horse Rerouted (Stormy Atlantic) still in the remaining fifteen, all seems to be shaping up for the biggest star in the Juddmonte barn.

Frankel is ranking amongst the most heavily-backed Guineas contenders in quite some time and his resumption of form in his three-year-old season has contrasted sharply with the fortunes of America's top two-year-old and Triple Crown contender Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie). Since his loss in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, Uncle Mo's Kentucy Derby price has drifted from nearly odds-on to a full 7.0 to 8.0 on the exchanges.

Frankel can currently be backed at around 1.65 at the time of this writing, amidst relatively heavy ante post volume. Such is the strength of Henry Cecil's bay – who looks to be forging a potentially legendary partnership with in-form pilot Tom Queally.

There is relatively stiff competition for the status of main rival to the undefeated Frankel with the notables being Pathfork (Distorted Humor), Roderic O'Connor (Galileo) and Craven winner Native Khan (Azamour). At the time of this writing, Pathfork is getting the edge from the punters with a price of around 5/1 with most major bookmakers. Roderic O'Connor ran a game second to Frankel in the Dubai Dewhurst and will be looking to show lots of improvement.

Godolphin have entered a pair of contenders – one, Saamidd (Street Cry) trained by Saeed Bin Suroor and the other, Casamento (Shamardal), by Mahmood Al Zarooni. There is still a chance that Casamento may be withdrawn late and pointed towards the Dante Stakes. Speaking to Godolphin.com, Mahmood Al Zarooni was elusive as to Casamento's ultimate destination. “A decision will be made soon as to whether he goes to the 2000 Guineas on Saturday or waits for the Dante... Casamento is a good horse who is doing well and he wants further than a mile and although the Guineas is a great Classic it is also a great prep for the Derby.”

Godolphin have already withdrawn their biggest Guineas shout with Dubai Prince (Shamardal) picking up an unfortunate injury that knocked him off the Guineas trail.