Royal Ascot refuses to move Frankel race from its curtain-raising slot on the first day of the meeting

Centre of attention: Tom Queally on Frankel salutes the crowds after the pair's stunning victory at Newbury

One might have imagined that two important announcements regarding Frankel might have had a bearing on the order of the race programme at Royal Ascot next month. But officials at the Queen’s racecourse remain adamant – there will be no changes. 

First, Sir Henry Cecil confirmed that the one-mile Queen Anne Stakes was the first preference for Frankel, and then Dominic Gardiner-Hill, the British Horseracing Authority handicapper, revealed that he had raised the colt’s rating 2lb, to a figure of 138, which makes him the highest-rated in the world in 25 years.

The Queen Anne is traditionally the first race on the first day. So, in effect, Ascot is doing the exact opposite of what any promoter would normally do, which is putting the star act on last, thus allowing a build-up.

Nick Smith, Ascot’s head of communications and international racing, said the course was happy to be “topping and tailing” the meeting with the two best horses in the world, Frankel and the Australian sprint champion Black Caviar, who will run in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on the final day.

“We have been criticised in the past for having three Group Ones as the first three races on the first day. It has been tradition to do that, but the issue of whether we should move one or two of them has always been on the table for discussion, and will remain so,” he said.

“Tuesday and Wednesday are usually the quietest days, so you have to ask what effect would it have to move one or two of them? We expect sales to go up for the first day if Frankel runs in the Queen Anne, but we are not talking about thousands more.”

Smith said Ascot was proud to be preparing to accommodate the five highest-rated horses in the world. “Last year, everybody said that to have Goldikova and Canford Cliffs clashing in the Queen Anne, as well as Frankel running in the St James’s Place, plus the international sprinters, provided the best Royal meeting ever. Now, it looks likely that could be surpassed,” he said.

Frankel remains a constant talking point, and it is interesting that Gardiner-Hill believes there could still be improvement that might take the colt past Dancing Brave. “I think he can go higher,” he said.

“I watched the Lockinge again, and to be honest, he did it very easily. To go higher, he is going to have to beat something other than Excelebration. I suspect he can be a 140-horse. It just depends if he gets the opportunity.”

Dancing Brave sailed past a collection of Group One winners when he won the 1986 Arc and it was this, rather the devastating style of victory, that was crucial to his high rating.