UK: St Nick Could Challenge Frankel

Monday, 13 August 2012: Frankel could yet get some serious opposition in next week's Juddmonte International after Aidan O'Brien said that the York race is under consideration for his four-time G1 winner St Nicholas Abbey.

St Nicholas Abbey Photo by Racing and Sports

Frankel's status as the world's best racehorse got another boost on Sunday when Excelebration, who has finished second behind him on four occasions in G1 company, posted a win at the highest level in France in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.

Nine G1 winners ran in the Marois as many trainers elected to avoid Frankel  even though the Juddmonte will be the first time the Sir Henry Cecil-trained colt will be asked to run further than a mile.

O'Brien had hinted previously that St Nicholas Abbey  could drop back in distance. At the Curragh and Sunday he said the five-year-old could be York-bound for a date with Frankel.

"It's not definite by any means but we're thinking about running St Nicholas Abbey in the Juddmonte," O'Brien said.

St Nicholas Abbey achieved his fourth G1 win in June when he won the Coronation Cup for the second consecutive year before finishing third in the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last month.

Frankel's odds are no bigger than 1-6 for the Juddmonte International where he will be bidding to make it 13 wins from 13 starts.