Trained by Sir Henry Cecil and owned by Khalid Abdullah, Frankel has won all thirteen of his races, including four group I races this year by a combined margin of nearly thirty lengths. Considered to be one of the greatest horses in the history of thoroughbred horse racing, it would be a perfect conclusion to a perfect career if Frankel is able to add the Champion Stakes to his phenomenal record.
However, his greatest opposition may not be be a mere horse, but rather, Mother Nature. Rain has left the Ascot turf course quite wet -- conditions Frankel has only encountered only once, when he won his debut by a half-length over a colt named Nathaniel. To date, that remains Frankel's smallest margin of victory.
And wouldn't you know it -- one of Frankel's primary opponents on Saturday is Nathaniel. Trained by John Gosden, the four-year-old colt won the Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Eng-I) earlier this year, in addition to claiming the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Eng-I) in 2010. Fifth in the QIPCO Champion Stakes last year, he enters this year's edition off of a close defeat to the top race mare Snow Fairy in the Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-I).
Six-year-old gelding Cirrus Des Aigles won this race last year and loves soft going, making him a legitimate threat to steal the glory from Frankel. His last effort, a brilliant nine-length victory in the Prix Dollar (Fr-II) at Longchamp, signals that he is still in terrific form.
Pastorius, winner of the Preis der Deutschen Einheit (Ger-III); Master of Hounds, winner of a group II in Turkey; and Bullet Train, Frankel's pacemaker, round out the field.
QIPCO Champion Stakes (Eng-I)
Ten furlongs on the Ascot turf course
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 1 | Cirrus Des Aigles | Olivier Peslier | Corine Barande-Barbe |
| 2 | Master of Hounds | Ryan Moore | William Haggas |
| 3 | Frankel | Tom Queally | Sir Henry Cecil |
| 4 | Bullet Train | Ian Mongan | Sir Henry Cecil |
| 5 | Pastorius | Frankie Dettori | Mario Hofer |
| 6 | Nathaniel | William Buick | John Gosden |
-Keelerman
