Britain's champion galloper Frankel is all set to have another 'mile' race to boost his unbeaten career tally. He'll run in the Grp 1 Sussex Stakes (1m) at Goodwood on August 1. Frankel is now on an official 140 rating after his recent Queen Anne Stakes win at the mile. Race fans had been hoping Frankel would face up to Aussie champ So You Think over 2000m - but the Frankel camp has jibbed at that clash. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Frankel's owner Khalid Abdullah, says the 4YO has recov
Britain's champion galloper Frankel is all set to have another 'mile' race to boost his unbeaten career tally. He'll run in the Grp 1 Sussex Stakes (1m) at Goodwood on August 1. Frankel is now on an official 140 rating after his recent Queen Anne Stakes win at the mile. Race fans had been hoping Frankel would face up to Aussie champ So You Think over 2000m - but the Frankel camp has jibbed at that clash. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Frankel's owner Khalid Abdullah, says the 4YO has recovered well from his resounding Ascot victory. He says: "Frankel is in very good form...He came back from Ascot in great nick - bouncing, eating, and kicking." Will Frankel tackle 10 furlongs (2000m)? Apparently, yes. He'll lift to that distance in the upcoming Juddmonte International.
Ben Knobel has turned to a couple of key supporters as he strives to round out the Rising Stars series with victory at Flemington on Saturday. The 26-year-old will partner the David and Scott Brunton-trained Banca Mo in the $70,000 Rising Stars Handicap (1800m), which wraps up Victoria's premier apprentice jockeys challenge. Knobel has an established relationship with the Bruntons and was thrilled to be given the opportunity aboard the talented Tasmanian once the gelding missed a start in the Winter Championship. "When I started off race riding, I used to go over to Tasmania and David and Scotty would put me on a bit and I've had a bit of success for them," Knobel says. Banca Mo occupies the $5 third line in TAB Sportsbet's market, which is headed by Jake Noonan's mount Winning Glory ($3.70) with the Bradley Wallace-ridden Forty Thirty $3.90.
Latest UK betting news...Reports today say that betting exchange Betfair and the British Horseracing Authority have struck a deal that will pour "at least ú40 million" into the sport over the next five years. Under the terms of the deal, Betfair will pay the BHA 10.75 percent of all revenue earned from its UK-based account holders. In return, the BHA will use Betfair's betting data to build a racing fixture that will "optimise British racing's attractiveness as a betting product for punters, the racing industry and betting operators". The five-year contract replaces Betfair's current voluntary payments to the BHA. Betfair has already paid the BHA more than of ú6.5 million this season, which will be offset against the agreed package.