Apps

Henry Cecil — news, coverage & facts — IJR

Return to success and Frankel

When Cecil's Light Shift won the Oaks in 2007, it marked a return to form. This victory was his 24th English Classic winner and his eighth victory in the race, seven years after his previous winner. The season before he had barely made it into the top 100 trainers in the country. "I might not be [competitive] on the outside", Cecil told The Independent. "But I am on the inside, definitely—underneath, very competitive. Always have been. We like winning, you know. We do like winning. It's what motivates you. Nobody likes failure. Your horses are running badly, or they're no good, you get jealous of everybody else. It's not quite so much fun, is it?" The 2011 season was Cecil's best for 10 years. He saddled 55 winners, securing prize money totaling more than £2.7 million.

Cecil's success in 2011 was partly due to his training of the Khalid Abdullah-owned Frankel. In the 2010 season Frankel won the Royal Lodge Stakes and Group One Dewhurst Stakes. The following year he continued unbeaten, winning the Greenham Stakes, the 2,000 Guineas, the St. James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. His six length victory in the 2,000 Guineas was described as "one of the greatest displays on a British racecourse". After his win in the Sussex Stakes Cecil himself described Frankel as "the best horse I've ever seen". Timeform and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities rated him the best horse in the world. In his four-year-old season Frankel won the Group One Lockinge Stakes at Newbury before an eleven length victory in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, described in one national newspaper as "possibly the best single performance by any horse, on any track, since three Arabian stallions were imported into Britain to found the thoroughbred breed in the early years of the 18th century". Timeform raised their rating to 147, making Frankel the highest rated horse in their history. He won a second Sussex Stakes, at odds of 1–20, and then stepped up in distance to win by seven lengths the Juddmonte International Stakes at York over 10 furlongs. In October 2012 Frankel won the Champion Stakes at Ascot to finish his career unbeaten. "He's the best I've ever had, the best I've ever seen", Cecil told the BBC after the race, "I'd be very surprised if there's ever been anything better."

Author Jilly Cooper consulted Cecil as part of her research for her novel Mount!

Major wins

United Kingdom

1,000 Guineas – (6) – One in a Million (1979), Fairy Footsteps (1981), Oh So Sharp (1985), Bosra Sham (1996), Sleepytime (1997), Wince (1999)

2,000 Guineas – (3) – Bolkonski (1975), Wollow (1976), Frankel (2011)

Ascot Gold Cup – (5) – Le Moss (1979, 1980), Ardross (1981, 1982), Paean (1987)

Champion Stakes – (5) – Indian Skimmer (1988), Bosra Sham (1996), Twice Over (2009, 2010), Frankel (2012)

Coronation Stakes – (5) – Roussalka (1975), One in a Million (1979), Chalon (1982), Chimes of Freedom (1990), Kissing Cousin (1994)

Derby – (4) – Slip Anchor (1985), Reference Point (1987), Commander in Chief (1993), Oath (1999)

Dewhurst Stakes – (3) – Wollow (1975), Diesis (1982), Frankel (2010)

Eclipse Stakes – (4) – Wolver Hollow (1969), Wollow (1976), Gunner B (1978), Twice Over (2010)

Falmouth Stakes – (3) – Chalon (1982), Chimes of Freedom (1990), Timepiece (2011)

Fillies' Mile – (6) – Formulate (1978), Oh So Sharp (1984), Diminuendo (1987), Tessla (1988), Bosra Sham (1995), Reams of Verse (1996)

International Stakes – (4) – Wollow (1976), Royal Anthem (1999), Twice Over (2011) Frankel (2012)

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes – (3) – Reference Point (1987), Belmez (1990), King's Theatre (1994)

Lockinge Stakes – (4) – Kris (1980), Belmont Bay (1981), Prismatic (1985), Frankel (2012)

Middle Park Stakes – (2) – Cajun (1981), Diesis (1982)

Nassau Stakes – (8) – Roussalka (1975, 1976), Connaught Bridge (1979), Nom de Plume (1987), Lyphard's Delta (1993), Midday (2009, 2010, 2011)

Oaks – (8) – Oh So Sharp (1985), Diminuendo (1988), Snow Bride (1989), Lady Carla (1996), Reams of Verse (1997), Ramruma (1999), Love Divine (2000), Light Shift (2007)

Prince of Wales's Stakes – (5) – Lucky Wednesday (1977), Gunner B (1978), Perpendicular (1992), Placerville (1993), Bosra Sham (1997)

Queen Anne Stakes – (5) – Belmont Bay (1981), Mr Fluorocarbon (1982), Valiyar (1983), Trojan Fen (1984), Frankel (2012)

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes – (2) – Kris (1979), Frankel (2011)

Racing Post Trophy – (10) – Approval (1969), Take Your Place (1975), Hello Gorgeous (1979), Dunbeath (1982), Lanfranco (1984), Reference Point (1986), Be My Chief (1989), Peter Davies (1990), Armiger (1992), King's Theatre (1993)

St. James's Palace Stakes – (5) – Bolkonski (1975), Kris (1979), Shavian (1990), Dr Fong (1998), Frankel (2011)

St. Leger – (4) – Light Cavalry (1980), Oh So Sharp (1985), Reference Point (1987), Michelozzo (1989)

Sun Chariot Stakes – (2) – Home on the Range (1981), Indian Skimmer (1988)

Sussex Stakes – (7) – Bolkonski (1975), Wollow (1976), Kris (1979), Distant View (1994), Ali-Royal (1997), Frankel (2011, 2012)

Yorkshire Oaks – (5) – Connaught Bridge (1979), Diminuendo (1988), Catchascatchcan (1998), Ramruma (1999), Midday (2010)

Canada

Canadian International Stakes – (1) – Royal Anthem (1998)

France

Critérium de Saint-Cloud – (1) – Passage of Time (2006)

Grand Critérium – (1) – Tenby (1992)

Grand Prix de Paris – (1) – Beat Hollow (2000)

Prix de Diane – (2) – Indian Skimmer (1987), Rafha (1990)

Prix de la Forêt – (1) – Salse (1988)

Prix d'Ispahan – (1) – Indian Skimmer (1989)

Prix du Jockey Club – (1) – Old Vic (1989)

Prix Maurice de Gheest – (1) – Pursuit of Love (1992)

Prix du Moulin de Longchamp – (1) – All at Sea (1992)

Prix Royal-Oak – (2) – Ardross (1981), El Cuite (1986)

Prix Saint-Alary – (1) – Indian Skimmer (1987)

Prix Vermeille – (1) – Midday (2010)

Ireland

Irish 1,000 Guineas – (1) – Cloonagh (1973)

Irish Champion Stakes – (1) – Indian Skimmer (1988)

Irish Derby – (2) – Old Vic (1989), Commander in Chief (1993)

Irish Oaks – (3) – Diminuendo (1988, dead heat), Alydaress (1989), Ramruma (1999)

Matron Stakes – (1) – Chachamaidee (2012)

Moyglare Stud Stakes – (1) – Chimes of Freedom (1989)

Tattersalls Gold Cup – (1) – Shiva (1999)

Italy

Gran Premio d'Italia – (1) – El Cuite (1986)

Premio Roma – (2) – Irvine (1972), Orban (1987)

Premio Vittorio di Capua – (1) – Star Cutter (1986)

United States

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf – (1) – Midday (2009)

Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes – (1) – Yashmak (1997)