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I'll Have Another's Triple Crown bid threatens to cause a US hangover

Kentucky Derby winner lifts Preakness but trainer's denials of 'milkshaking' other horses have yet to convince all in US racing

Saturday proved a significant day for racing on both sides of the Atlantic, as Frankel returned at Newbury and extended his unbeaten record to 10 races while at Pimlico in Maryland I'll Have Another added the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the US Triple Crown, to his victory in the Kentucky Derby.

These two horses seem destined to define the racing seasons in Europe and America but the reaction to their successes says a great deal about the relative health of the sport in their respective spheres of influence.

Frankel's five-length victory in the Lockinge Stakes was a cause for delight and relief, since a seasonal debut is never an easy race to negotiate, and attention now turns to Royal Ascot and beyond. The only potential cause for concern is whether the "Go Frankel!" banners and flags that proved so popular at Newbury will contravene the Royal meeting's strict new dress code. The joy over I'll Have Another's victory, however, has been a little more qualified.

It is not that American sports fans are not eager to see another Triple Crown winner. It is now 34 years since Affirmed and Steve Cauthen completed the set in the Belmont Stakes and 11 horses have since taken the first two legs, only to fail the final test. Several of those were short-priced favourites to earn their place in racing history, the most recent being Big Brown, who was a 3-10 shot but was pulled up on the home turn.

There were about 100,000 spectators at Belmont Park that afternoon and there was no disguising both the eagerness of their desire to see racing history made and the bitter disappointment at yet another failure. One punter, who had backed the 39-1 winner Da' Tara, had to cut short his celebrations when another racegoer attacked him. Let no one say that the Americans do not take the Triple Crown seriously.

The problem with I'll Have Another, though, is his trainer. Doug O'Neill runs a very successful operation on the west coast but, when it comes to violations of US racing's rules on medication, O'Neill's rap sheet – as the New York Times pointed out shortly after the Derby – is long and inglorious. It includes more than a dozen breaches of the rules in four different states while he also faces suspension of his licence for up to six months after one of his horses, Argenta, showed a raised level of TCO₂ – the mark of a "milkshake".

"Milkshaking" means forcing a bicarbonate solution into a horse's stomach via a tube inserted into its nose, a procedure which is as crude and unpleasant as it sounds. The theory is that the alkaline solution counteracts the effects of lactic acid building up in a horse's system when it exercises and thus delays fatigue. The practice is generally accepted to have been rife in US racing until quite recently, on the west coast in particular.

O'Neill says – indeed, he swears on his "children's eyes" – that he has never milkshaked a horse and claims to be funding research into the possibility that legal raceday drugs, such as the anti-bleeding agent furosemide, might have caused the positive test. He is still fighting the Argenta case, nearly two years after the positive test.

I'll Have Another's attempt to become the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown will be the focus of much attention in the United States over the next three weeks. What the sport's more thoughtful participants and observers appreciate, though, is that a story which should be a reason to celebrate what is good in American racing is just as likely to advertise what is rotten.

Frankel likely to start off Royal Ascot meeting 'with a bang'

• Frankel aimed at Queen Anne, royal meeting's opening race
• 'We like the idea of starting with a bang,' says Ascot official

Frankel, the world's top-rated horse, was "fine and very pleased with himself" following his five-length success in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury the previous day, Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to the colt's owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, said on Sunday.

Grimthorpe also confirmed that Frankel is likely to stick to the same one-mile trip when he goes to Royal Ascot next month, which means that he will appear in the first race of the meeting, the Queen Anne Stakes, on Tuesday 19 June. "It was very pleasing the way that he did it at Newbury," Grimthorpe said. "Obviously we were a bit apprehensive after his injury scare but he's done it really nicely so we're delighted. All being well, it will be Ascot next. I'd think the Queen Anne would be the most likely race."

Nick Smith, Ascot's spokesman, said on Sunday that there was no chance that the Queen Anne would be moved to later in the card to allow more of a buildup to Frankel's next appearance.

"We like the idea of starting the meeting with a bang," Smith said. "Also, you have to consider what would happen if, for whatever reason, he did not make the race. It could easily end up being just four or five runners. You can't build things around one or two individual horses. It can't work like that."

Fame And Glory, last year's Gold Cup winner at Ascot, made a successful seasonal debut in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan on Sunday, and is now top-priced at 5-2 for a repeat victory at the royal meeting. Sent off favourite at 5-4, Fame And Glory did not require significant urging from Joseph O'Brien, his jockey, to beat Unaccompanied and Steps To Freedom, and his record is now 14 wins from 22 starts, with his defeats including second place behind Sea The Stars in the 2009 Derby.

"He ran quite fresh down the back," O'Brien said. "I had a nice position on the bend going away from the stands and then he changed his legs and took off a bit. He just got a bit tired which he was entitled to on his first run of the year."

Danedream, who ran away with last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, also made a successful return to action in the Group Two Grosser Preis Der Badischen Unternehmer at Baden-Baden. Peter Schiergen's filly beat Ovambo Queen by three-quarters of a length.

Horse racing tips: Monday 21 May

Bridgehampton appeals in the final race at Leicester's evening meeting

Leicester

6.20 King Zeal 6.50 Benandonner 7.20 Smoothtalkinrascal 7.50 Dixie's Dream 8.20 Ladyship 8.50 Bridgehampton (nap)

Newton Abbot

2.20 Briefcase 2.50 Miss Saffron 3.20 Katchmore 3.50 Overdante 4.20 Tornade D'Estruval 4.50 Its A Mistake 5.20 King Cyrus

Redcar

2.10 Hiddon Coin 2.40 Srinagar Girl 3.10 My Guardian Angel 3.40 Noodles Blue Boy (nb) 4.10 Lexi The Princess 4.40 Salacia 5.10 Lady Kashaan 5.40 Fine Altomis

Windsor

6.10 Polar Annie 6.40 Miss Diva 7.10 Al Baidaa 7.40 Hairy Rocket 8.10 Purification 8.40 O'Gorman

Wolverhampton

2.30 Scamperdale 3.00 The Black Jacobin 3.30 Circuitous 4.00 Lord Buffhead 4.30 Sharp Shoes 5.00 Song Of Joy 5.30 Lastkingofscotland 6.00 Waabel

Chinchon and Ato win in Singapore as Krypton Factor loses power

• France's Chinchon lifts Singapore International Airlines Cup
• Local outsider Ato wins KrisFlyer Sprint as favourite fades

The French-trained Chinchon, perfectly ridden by Olivier Doleuze, earned the biggest payday of his career at Kranji on Sunday when relishing ground softened by regular rain throughout the week to run away from a cosmopolitan field in the S$3m (£1.4m) Singapore International Airlines Cup.

Trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias, Chinchon had been heavily backed into second-favouritism at just under 5-1 He is a regular competitor on the international stage who was reckoned unlucky when finishing fifth in last year's SIA Cup.

Chinchon put the record straight conclusively this time with an impressive three-length victory from the former British-trained Zaidan, now trained in Hong Kong by John Moore, and the local runner Flax. Zazou, representing the Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov, finished fourth.

The other European runner, Dream Peace, finished eighth over the normally very fast 10 furlongs completed by the winner in a relatively sedate 2.04.3, with neither of the other two members of the Hong Kong trio, California Memory and Thumbs Up, able to make any impact in the straight. Godolphin's dismal run of luck since the Dubai World Cup meeting continued when the Mahmood al-Zarooni-trained City Style injured himself when rearing in the stalls and had to be withdrawn. It was a sad end to a carefully prepared Group One bid for what would have been Mickaël Barzalona's mount.

Less than an hour earlier, the local sprinter Ato ran out a convincing 16-1 winner of the S$1m (£480,000) 6f Group One KrisFlyer Sprint. A model of consistency who has not been out of the frame for over a year, the son of Royal Academy is a rarity in Singaporean racing in that he too is an entire. He may well have earned himself a surprise stint at stud through this victory in his adopted country's major sprint. Ato provided huge compensation for his South African trainer Patrick Shaw and jockey Barend Vorster who had been expecting to take the race with local superstar Rocket Man, but found the comparatively modest Ato a more than able substitute.

Ato beat another local, Mr Big, who had led into the straight and looked the likely winner before Ato emerged to cut him down and win going away by two lengths. Back in third and far from disgraced in his first attempt at coping with Oriental sprinters was the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Secret Asset, with another local, Captain Obvious, back in fourth. "He ran an absolute cracker," said jockey George Baker of firm-ground performer Secret Asset. "He had a lovely trip round the bend, then a gap opened for us and he kept on really well although the ground was softer than he'd have liked."

"He ran a great race," said Chapple-Hyam. "That was such a good effort in the conditions."

The favourite Krypton Factor proved a serious disappointment as he failed to translate his Dubai Golden Shaheen form on Tapeta to the very different surface at Kranji. He kept on steadily but without anything resembling the kick that had taken him past Rocket Man at Meydan. "I knew I was in trouble as soon as the gates opened" said his rider, Kieren Fallon. "In fact, I knew when it rained during the week. He just can't handle soft ground."

I'll Have Another to go for Triple Crown after Preakness victory

• Kentucky Derby winner leads Bodemeister home again
• Affirmed, in 1978, was the last to win Triple Crown

I'll Have Another will try to become the first horse since 1978 to win the American Triple Crown following his victory in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

The Doug O'Neill-trained colt added to his dramatic Kentucky Derby defeat of Bodemeister with a similarly thrilling neck triumph over the same rival on Saturday.

I'll Have Another will now bid for Triple Crown glory in the Belmont Stakes in New York on 9 June.

"The great part of I'll Have Another is that any of us could have a horse like this," O'Neill said. "He didn't cost a million bucks. But he's got the heart of a champion, the stride of a champion, and the mind of a champion. On to New York, baby!"

The last horse to have won the Triple Crown was Affirmed.

Bodemeister's trainer, Bob Baffert, said: "I felt really good about where he was. He looked like he was travelling nicely. Turning for home I really felt he would win. But the winner is a really good horse.

"I really can't complain. My horse ran his race. The California horses are really tough."

Talking horses: The latest news and best bets in our daily horse racing blog

The latest news and best bets in our daily horse racing blog

The lack of quality in Sunday racing in the UK is a constant source of irritation for some, but there is at least one race this afternoon that would not have looked out of place on the card at Newbury yesterday, in the form of a £20,000, Class 2 handicap at Ripon.

Con Artist, from the Godolphin yard in Newmarket, is a non-runner, which leaves the prize mainly at the mercy of the big northern yards, and Silvery Moon (nap 3.40) looks the one to back. Tim Easterby's five-year-old started the season running down the field over seven furlongs at Doncaster in April, but his two runs either side of that — over a mile, with some cut in the ground — have yielded a win and a good second, in a fast time, behind Memory Cloth, who franked the form when second to Tullius at the Guineas meeting.

Ray Of Joy (3.10) is often seen as a Kempton six-furlong specialist, but her half-length victory at Yarmouth in April off just a 3lb lower mark showed that she can win on turf too and she is a big price at 12-1.

The return of Fame And Glory in the Vintage Crop Stakes is the feature of the card at Navan, but Unaccompanied (4.05) is a stern opponent on his first run since October. Dermot Weld's mare, a Grade One winner over hurdles, is making only her eighth start on the Flat and so remains open to improvement, and gets 10lb from last year's Ascot Gold Cup winner.

I'll Have Another will try to become the first horse since 1978 to win the American Triple Crown following his victory in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on Saturday night.

Horse racing tips: Sunday 20 May

Silvery Moon at Ripon is the best bet of the day

Market Rasen 2.00 Tealissio 2.30 Lap Of Honour 3.00 Charlie Wingnut (nb) 3.30 Carabinier 4.00 O'Callaghan Strand 4.30 Sizing America 5.00 Be Devious

Stratford 2.20 High Storm 2.50 Beattie Green 3.20 That'll Do 3.50 The Musical Guy 4.20 Domtaline 4.50 African Gold

Ripon 2.10 Hillbilly Boy 2.40 Out Of The Blocks 3.10 Ray Of Joy 3.40 Silvery Moon (nap) 4.10 Ashiri 4.40 Almaas 5.10 Silvanus

Wonder horse Frankel makes it a perfect 10 with Lockinge Stakes win

• Sir Henry Cecil-trained runner is five-lengths winner
• Royal Ascot in June the next step for brilliant colt

If there was an image to sum up the afternoon when Frankel returned to racing looking as exceptional as ever, it was the sight of Prince Khalid Abdullah, the colt's owner and normally one of the most retiring men on the track, signing autographs for racegoers as he left the winner's enclosure. There were ruddy-faced country gents in tweeds clutching "Go Frankel!" banners too. Frankel is extraordinary, and the aura around him is now becoming rather surreal.

A win in the Group One Lockinge Stakes would have been enough for the thousands drawn here, to extend Frankel's unbeaten record to 10 races and set him up for greater challenges ahead, so his five-length defeat of Excelebration, a very good horse with the bad luck to have been born in the same generation as Frankel, exceeded most expectations. But it was not simply the winning margin, but the manner of his performance from start to finish that was so thoroughly impressive.

Relaxed and professional in the paddock, Frankel showed no hint of the bubbling exuberance that often prefaced his appearances last season. Ten races into his career, he finally looked like the finished article, ready to channel all his energy into the race, and within a few strides of the start he was settled in second place behind Bullet Train, his pacemaker.

From that point, it was an exercise in joining the dots, and when Tom Queally, Frankel's jockey, began to stoke him up with a quarter of a mile to run, Joseph O'Brien, on Excelebration, was already getting to work, and with far less impressive results.

Frankel burst clear and Excelebration, as so often in the past, was booked for second place. This was a small field and a straight mile, but it was still hard to imagine any set of tactics, employed by any number of rivals on any track, that could frustrate such a freakish – and focused – talent.

Aidan O'Brien, who took over as Excelebration's trainer at the start of the season, was among the first people to congratulate Sir Henry Cecil, Frankel's trainer, in the winner's enclosure, and even a man who has trained countless champions seemed genuinely surprised by just how easily his horse had been beaten.

This, it seems, is just the beginning, with Cecil insistent that Frankel will come on significantly for his first run, having missed 10 days of his build-up to the Lockinge with a minor leg injury. "You have to feel your way, because you can't make up time, you can't suddenly put 10 days' work into him in the time [that you have]," Cecil said. "So you have to get him there without flattening him out.

"He behaved beautifully, there was very little sweat between his legs. He always takes a tiny bit of a hold, but he had a really good blow afterwards, and I'm absolutely certain, or I'll be very surprised, if he doesn't come on from the race. He could do no more than he did today."

The question of where Frankel will run next is all but decided, and all being well, he will appear at Royal Ascot next month. However, whether he will appear on the opening day, in the Queen Anne Stakes over a mile, or step up to a mile and a quarter, for the first time, in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, has yet to be resolved.

"He will probably tackle a little bit further as the season goes on," Cecil said, "but there's no hurry, is there? What are we trying to prove? As long as he does it some time, when he's ready to do it. I'd think it's more likely we will go for the Queen Anne and then go from there. Whether he goes for the Eclipse or the Sussex and then the Juddmonte, we'll just see. He'll tell me.

"He's stronger this year, and Tom Queally said that his acceleration was incredible. It's exciting, because he does improve for his races. If you look at last year, he improved as the year goes on, and there's no reason now that he's stronger why he shouldn't."

For all Frankel's authority on Saturday, he remains an even-money chance with William Hill to finish his career later this year without a blemish on his record. That the bookies still think it is 50-50 that he will be beaten in one of his next four or five starts is a reminder that bad luck can strike at any moment. He has been the favourite for all 10 of his races, however, and odds-on for the last nine, and is quoted at around 1-3 for the Queen Anne.

That seems his most likely target, although Cecil's question – "what are we trying to prove?" – was still hanging in the air long after Prince Khalid had signed his last autograph.

Frankel's last five Group One wins have been over a mile, and with his seasonal return now safely negotiated, what they are trying to prove is that Frankel is as good, or better, as any thoroughbred that has peered through a bridle.

A step up to 10 furlongs, perhaps for the remainder of his career, would demonstrate versatility as well as brilliance, and provide fresh opponents to test him. It will be Frankel's next great challenge in what promises to be an incredible season.

Frankel romps home for easy win in Lockinge Stakes at Newbury

• Colt puts up brilliant display on 2012 reappearance
• Next stop Royal Ascot for Sir Henry Cecil-trained runner

Frankel, the best racehorse in the world, extended his unbeaten run to 10 races with a brilliant display in the Lockinge Stakes on his seasonal reappearance at Newbury on Saturday.

Jockey Tom Queally tracked Frankel's pacemaker, the stablemate Bullet Train, in the early stages of the Group One mile contest but once the rider asked the colt to quicken he was never in danger of deafeat and stretched clear for a five-length defeat of his old rival Excelebration.

Frankel, the 2-7 favourite, was already the world's highest-rated racehorse before his Lockinge success, which was his sixth triumph at Group One level. The colt's latest devastating display is a world away from the scare a few weeks ago when his racing career was in the balance after he suffered a leg injury.

Although Frankel missed 10 days' work, his preparation for his comeback went very well after that with a couple of racecourse gallops at Newmarket helping to get him ready for his first run of the year.

Trainer Sir Henry Cecil revealed afterwards that he expects Frankel to improve for this run. "For his first run he is never at his best," reported Cecil, who confirmed that the colt's next race would be at Royal Ascot. "He is in both races [the Queen Anne over the mile of the Lockinge and the Prince of Wales's Stakes over a mile and a quarter] and we will see. We will take it step by step."

Cecil added: "I want to thank all those involved with him at home as it was not easy after his ten days off. It was very nice really."

Jockey Tom Queally was equally ecstatic afterwards: "He's grown up from last year, he's thicker set. If you look at him now, he's the real deal - he's filled out since last year. He showed that burst of acceleration. He's not like anything I've sat on before."

In the race itself Bullet Train, Frankel's regular work partner and three-parts brother, shot out of the stalls, with Queally happy to sit in just two lengths behind. Frankel took up the running in an instant two furlongs out and soon put daylight between himself and the five other runners.

Try as Joseph O'Brien could on 100-30 shot Excelebration, he could get nowhere near Frankel and had to settle for more minor honours behind his regular nemesis. The 16-1 chance Dubawi Gold did best of the rest, a further four lengths away.

Talking Horses | Will Hayler and Tony Paley

All the latest news and best bets in our daily racing blog

4.45pm Seeing is believing: Frankel on YouTube

Tony Paley: Hats off to Racing UK who have already posted this recording of Frankel winning the Lockinge Stakes on YouTube.

3.45pm Frankel storms to victory in Lockinge Stakes

Tony Paley: Frankel, the best racehorse in the world, extended his unbeaten run to 10 races with a brilliant display in the Lockinge Stakes on his seasonal reappearance at Newbury on Saturday. You can read a full report here.

3.35pm Here is Frankel in the parade ring

Tony Paley: BBC racing presenter Clare Balding, surely on course to be on Channel 4 next year when that broadcaster has all the racing rights, is at the track and has tweeted this photo of Frankel in the parade ring. OK, that's enough of the build-up. Now to sit back and enjoy . . .

3.30pm . . . or is it Franklel!

Tony Paley: The race organisers at Newbury won't be pleased that someone has managed to spell Frankel wrongly. Eddie Fremantle, formerly of this parish, has posted this picture on Twitter that reveals it has been spelt Franklel.

3.15pm Frankel-mania catches hold at Newbury

Tony Paley: Frankel has entered the pre-parade ring ahead of the Lockinge Stakes. Mike Cattermole on Channel 4 reports that Frankel has just one groom leading him round today, unlike last year when he had two. That suggests the colt is settling better and is more amenable than in 2011.

As David Cleary of Timeform has pointed out here on Twitter a number of racegoers missed the London Gold Cup, the race immediately before Frankel's, so they could get a glimpse of the Sir Henry Cecil-trained runner. Many at the track seem to be getting into the spirit. As our correspondent, Greg Wood, reports here on Twitter there are a number of more traditional race fans holding Frankel banners on course.

3pm Grimthorpe talks of 'something extraordinary' in Frankel

Just 40 minutes ahead of Frankel's reappearance and his owner's racing manager, Lord Grimthorpe, has been on BBC Radio 5 Live. He told the BBC radio racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght: "We know we have something pretty extraordinary on our hands ... a very, very rare bird," as reported by Lysaght on Twitter here.

2.30pm Hawaafez lands Listed Aston Park Stakes

Tony Paley: Hawaafez (3-1) put up a game performance when making most of the running to beat Nehaam and land the Listed JLT Aston Park Stakes at Newbury.

Winning trainer Marcus Tregoning said: "She's a nice mare and we're very lucky to keep her this year.

"She's needed the time to get the strength and Sheikh Hamdan owns a lot of huge horses - they just need a bit of time. She's in the Ascot Gold Cup but I don't know if they will let me go that route, but she's a pretty decent filly and goes on any ground."

2.25pm Bishop answers Charlton's prayers at Newbury

Tony Paley: Bishop Roko was a very impressive winner on his racecourse debut in the opener at Newbury. The Roger Charlton-trained juvenile (16-1) beat 11-4 favourite Mysterious Man by six lengths.

Charlton said: "Unfortunately, his owner has gone home already and missed the race as the horse was a little uncomfortable an hour before and we were unsure whether to run.

"He has always been a nice horse and it's not a shock he has won. He has not quite come yet in his coat, which may have put a few people off. Although I'm not shocked he has won, I am little shocked in the manner in which he did it - but I did say this morning I thought he would be in the first three."

2.30pm Frankel's brother just denied at Newmarket

Tony Paley: Noble Mission, Frankel's brother and stablemate at Henry Cecil's yard, was just denied by Thought Worthy in the opener at Newmarket. Eddie Ahern's mount looked in toruble two furlongs out but stayed on strongly without catching the eventual winner who was also sent off 15-8 joint-favourite.

Although Thought Worthy is still in contention for the Investec Derby, connections could also be tempted to run him in the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster - a race owner George Strawbridge won with Lucarno in 2007.

Winning trainer John Gosden said: "We are very happy with him. He's shown a lot of guts. He's still in the Derby, but the owner will make the final decision.

"We could also look at the King Edward (at Royal Ascot) and there's also the race in September (St Leger) which the owner likes a lot."

2.15pm Cheltenham Festival winner killed in freak accident

Tony Paley: Cheltenham Festival winner Brindisi Breeze has died following a freak accident.

The gelding, who won the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle in March, was killed after jumping out of his paddock during the night at his trainer Lucinda Russell's stables.

Rusell said in a statement posted on http://www.lucindarussell.com: "Brindisi Breeze was tragically killed last night. At 2.30am he jumped out of his paddock and was hit by a tanker, he died instantly.

"He will be sorely missed by the whole yard and especially his sporting owner Sandy Seymour who adored his horse. To go from the pride of standing at Cheltenham watching Brindisi and Campbell stride up the hill to victory to the devastation of today's bizarre incident leaves me deeply saddened.

"With the love and the care that is given to these wonderful athletes, to lose any of them is difficult but when it is a horse who has achieved so much in his short life it is deeply upsetting. It will be hard to overcome."

Today's TV races

Mac's Power (2.30) has gone over a year without victory but gets his ideal ­conditions today and is fancied to strike again at Newbury. He was second in the corresponding contest 12 months ago, but has the ­benefit of a run under his belt this time, not to mention the fact that James Fanshawe's yard is also in decent form.

Having failed to win from eight starts in races of nine or fewer, it is clear Mac's Power is happier in larger fields and his chances are much better here than the five-runner contest in which he ­disappointed on his reappearance. He is feasibly handicapped too and his draw should allow Kieren Fallon to track the pace and find the cover that the horse needs.

Newbury 2.00 A stop-start gallop could prove the undoing of Nehaam, who has often pulled for his head in the past, but hopefully Hamdan al-Maktoum number two Hawaafez can help by going on from the front. On the basis of his Ascot fourth behind Fame And Glory on his final start last season, Nehaam simply stands out.

Newmarket 2.15 Two siblings of ­champion racehorses make this an interesting ­contest, in which Lucarno's brother Thought Worthy is entitled to respect on better ground. But Frankel's brother Noble Mission is settling better in earplugs and may not have finished improving yet.

Newmarket 2.45 A 6lb rise in the weights seems harsh for Mince's latest second at this track but she was extremely unlucky not to win having met trouble in running and compensation may arrive now.

Newbury 3.05 A bitter disappointment on heavy ground last time out, Trader Jack is certainly worth another chance in a ­contest won by the same owner and trainer 12 months ago.

Newbury 3.40 It has been interesting to note steady support in the ante-post ­betting for Excelebration in the buildup to this contest, but the faithful should be rewarded by Frankel. The naysayers could not wait to retire him when news emerged of a setback last month, but he has returned as well as ever judged on recent gallop reports and I simply do not accept that Aidan O'Brien is going to be able to coax the necessary improvement out of Excelebration required to reverse last season's form. New trainer, new ­season: same result.

The week in sport - in pictures

The best images from around the world, including the curious sight a cricket pitch being fumigated in Delhi and a lesson in how to bring down a zealous streaker

Melbourne Cup-bound Red Cadeaux triumphs in the Yorkshire Cup

• Victor was runner-up in Australia's most famous race in 2011
• Frankie Dettori celebrates winner in last with flying dismount

Red Cadeaux, who was within a short-head of becoming the first British-trained winner of the Melbourne Cup last November, recorded his first success of the season on Friday when he took the Sportingbet Yorkshire Cup by a length on the final day of York's Dante meeting. While the victory was worth £80,000 to his connections, however, it all but guarantees that he will face a much more difficult task when he returns to Australia to run in the continent's most famous race later this year.

Harris Tweed, a winner already this year, was sent off favourite for the Group Two event at 9-4, and set out to make all the running in his customary style. Red Cadeaux and Tom McLaughlin closed him down with a quarter of a mile to run, however, and ran on well to hold the late challenge of Glen's Diamond, a 25-1 outsider.

"It's a big day for the horse and for the team," Ed Dunlop, Red Cadeaux's trainer, said. "He's a gentle giant, he doesn't worry about life and he's improved phenomenally as he's got older.

"I'm particularly pleased for Tom as he's been a huge part of this horse's career. He didn't ride him [last time out] in Hong Kong or Australia, so well done Tom.

"He's in the Coronation Cup [at Epsom next month] and we might give it a go. He's in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot too. But today is a huge today as he's been a bridesmaid quite a few times and today was his day. He'll race on until Royal Ascot and after than he'll have a holiday. Then he'll have a race again and then go back to Australia and maybe have two runs."

Red Cadeaux was well beaten behind Colour Vision in the Sagaro Stakes at Kempton last time out, and his win advertised the claims of Godolphin's contender for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Colour Vision is top-priced at 13-2 for the Gold Cup, behind Fame And Glory, the 3-1 favourite.

Frankie Dettori, meanwhile, delighted his supporters with a rare flying dismount following a low-grade race when he leapt from the Marcus Tregoning-trained Estedaama after his first victory of the week in the final race of the three-day fixture here.

The jockey, who was riding only his second turf winner of the 2012 Flat season, was clearly relieved to get off the mark on the Knavesmire after enduring what has been an especially poor start to the season for his Godolphin yard. Dettori's future has been the subject of considerable debate this week following the decision to give Mickael Barzalona the ride in the Dante Stakes on Mandean, the stable's chief Derby hope before he finished tailed-off behind Bonfire on Thursday.

Laugh Out Load, eighth home in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month, became the second filly to emerge from the Classic to win at this meeting when she took the Listed Equinity Fillies's Stakes.

The Fugue, fourth at Newmarket, took the Musidora Stakes on Wednesday, and Laugh Out Loud showed good finishing speed to beat Electrelane by a length.

"Hopefully she'll go to Royal Ascot now if she's OK," Ann Black, one of Laugh Out Loud's owners, said. "We don't know if she'll go for the Coronation Stakes or the Sandringham Handicap, I suppose it depends what mark the handicapper gives her."

Media Hype, the 6-1 joint-favourite, booked his place in one of the middle-distance handicaps at Royal Ascot when overcoming interference to take the sportingbet.com Stakes.

"We think he could be a Listed or even a Group Three horse. He had poor feet when Luca Cumani had him, but we've sorted that out and he's got lots of ability," said trainer Elaine Burke's husband and assistant Karl. "I imagine he'll go to Ascot now for either the Wolferton Stakes or the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap."

Horse racing tips: Saturday 19 May

Mac's Power the best bet of the day at Newbury

Bangor 2.05 Master Of The Game 2.35 The Lemonpie 3.10 Golden Call 3.45 Fidelis 4.20 Absinthe 4.55 Fabrika 5.30 What A Laugh

Doncaster 6.10 Maybeme 6.40 Annunciation 7.15 Sir Pedro 7.45 Mississippi (nb) 8.20 Cape Classic 8.50 Famous Poet

Newbury 1.30 King Of Dudes 2.00 Nehaam 2.30 Mac's Power (nap) 3.05 Trader Jack 3.40 Frankel 4.50 Border Legend 5.20 Dance Company 5.50 Poole Harbour

Newmarket 1.40 Chief Of Men 2.15 Noble Mission 2.45 Mince 3.20 Van Ellis 3.55 High Jinx 4.30 Captain Cat 5.05 Mukhadram 5.40 Suraj

Thirsk 1.50 Dusty Storm 2.20 Dubious Escapade 2.55 Pearl Ice 3.30 Al Muheer 4.05 Arctic Feeling 4.40 Calico Cat 5.15 Pistol 5.45 Flash City

Uttoxeter 5.25 Darkness 5.55 King Edmund 6.25 Jolly Roger 6.55 My Condor 7.30 Worth A King's 8.00 Aimigayle 8.30 Inch Rover

Frankel has the chance to end this season labelled the greatest-ever

Henry Cecil's wonder horse begins his most important season in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury

If all goes to plan, Frankel will spend about 10 minutes over the course of the next five months doing what he has been bred and trained to do. In the days and weeks between his brief bursts of public activity – again, if all goes to plan – racing fans will talk and think about little else.

For anyone who is coming to this story cold – and there is real optimism that Frankel will draw new followers to the sport – it might seem like a strange imbalance between anticipation and action. Few human athletes in any sport spend as little time doing what they are good at as a champion Flat racehorse. But brief, intense bursts of drama are what racing is all about, and Frankel's 10 minutes in the spotlight may define not just the 2012 racing season, but set a benchmark for many seasons to come.

The first 100 seconds will unfold on Saturday, in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, 217 days after Frankel's last trip to a racecourse. Sir Henry Cecil, Frankel's trainer, said this week that spectators at the Berkshire track can expect to see "a stronger and more settled horse this year", which is quite a prospect given that his last start was a four-length romp in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot that extended his perfect career to nine wins from nine races.

While that run confirmed that Frankel was one of the finest thoroughbreds that 250 years of selective breeding has managed to produce, the target now is for him to emerge from his third racing season as not just an outstanding champion, but the best of the best.

It would still be a subjective judgement, because differing opinions are the basis of betting markets and so the foundation of racing. Whatever Frankel manages to achieve this year, great names of the past such as Sea-Bird, Brigadier Gerard and Dancing Brave will have their die-hard supporters. American racing will still argue, very plausibly, for Secretariat, and Australia will honour the memory of Phar Lap.

But a Frankel who could come through his four-year-old season and retire unbeaten would enter a debate that spans many decades and generations with a very solid case of his own. Frankel is five, or possibly six, steps away from doing so, and each one has the potential to trip him up.

A forecast price of 1-3 for his return to action on Saturday might suggest that it is a formality, but for the bookmakers laying it, it represents a 25% chance that Frankel will not win. Put enough chances like that together and they will expect to get a result somewhere between here and the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October, where Frankel's racing career seems likely to conclude.

It is why Frankel remains odds-against at 13-8 to maintain his unbeaten record until he retires to stud. In order to complete a perfect career comprising 15 or 16 races, at least 10 of which would be at Group One level and at tracks as varied as Ascot, Goodwood, Newmarket and possibly York, Frankel does not just need to defy all his opponents, perhaps including the unbeaten Australian mare Black Caviar. He must also defy chance.

One stumble is all it might take to interrupt the string of "1"s in front of his name. Or one bump, one poor tactical decision by Tom Queally, his jockey, or one incubating virus that gets past the vet's radar. Or just a random off day, perhaps on his first start for seven months and following a 10-day interruption to his training regime as the result of a minor injury. "I feel he has done enough to give a good account of himself," Cecil says, which does not exactly leave no room for doubt.

Cecil must be more relieved than anyone that the talking is finally about to stop. There is only so much that you can say about a horse that has not run since October, and even the finest British trainer in living memory cannot be certain that Frankel retains his extraordinary ability until he sees it for himself on the track.

If Frankel wins as he should on Saturday, it may look straightforward or even routine. Yet there is nothing routine about a horse like this one, who has already achieved so much but still has much more to do. It may extend to 10 minutes of racing time, but every second of Frankel's four-year-old campaign promises to be one to remember.

Talking Horses: The latest news from York and best bets in our daily horse racing blog

The latest news and best bets in our daily horse racing blog on day three of the televised Dante meeting at York

Cadeaux lifts the Yorkshire Cup

Last year's Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux collected his first victory of the season in the Sportingbet Yorkshire Cup.

Ed Dunlop's globetrotter had proved no match for Colour Vision on his reappearance in the Sagaro Stakes at Kempton earlier this month, but looked far sharper for the experience as he held off Glens Diamond by a length.

The Group Two race, part of the British Champions Series, represented a major achievement in the career of jockey Tom McLaughlin, who was never too far away from the lead aboard the 4-1 shot.

William Haggas' Harris Tweed, the 9-4 favourite after a recent Newbury success, cut out the running ahead of Electrolyser and Liam Jones appeared to have a little up his sleeve as he quickened again in the home straight.

Red Cadeaux began to make his move and joined the leader though, appearing to rather run across Harris Tweed and away from McLaughlin's whip over a furlong out without causing serious interference.

He looked assured of the spoils on the far side of the course until the hitherto out-of-form Glen's Diamond came with a wet sail on the opposite side of the track, but his challenge was just a little too late.

Dunlop said: "It's a big day for the horse and the team. He's been a star for all of us and it's fantastic.

"He's a gentle giant. He doesn't worry about life and he's improved phenomenally as he's got older. I'm very proud of the horse and the team and I'm particularly pleased for Tom as he's been a huge part of this horse's career. He obviously didn't ride him in Hong Kong or Australia, so well done Tom.

"I don't know what we'll do now. He's in the Coronation Cup and we might give it a go. He's in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot too. But today is a huge today as he's been a bridesmaid quite a few times and today was his day.

"Let's hope he stays in one piece. He'll race on until Royal Ascot and after than he'll have a holiday. Then he'll have a race again and then go back to Australia and maybe have two runs."

McLaughlin said: "This is my biggest win on these shores. I've won the Winter Derby and I won the Curragh Cup, but it's great to win on a horse like him." PA

2.30pm Nice and easy for Tuer's Terms

Easy Terms (14-1) continued her astonishing rise in the care of Edwin Tuer by getting up on the line in a blanket finish to the Sportingbet Jorvik Handicap.

The Northallerton trainer picked up the mare for just over £4,000 at the sales last year and she has now managed to win six times in eight starts for the yard.

All those victories have been completed under James Sullivan, who found himself a fair way behind in the frenetically-paced contest but Easy Terms began to reel in her rivals along the stands' rail and bested High Office and Crackentorp by a short-head and a neck.

Tuer said: "That's unbelievable. She keeps answering every question and she's won in all extremes of ground, from good to firm to heavy. We haven't looked any further than today, I'll have to get stuck into the racing calendar and have a look what's in the programme for her.

"When she won at Pontefract it was her first run of the season and mine usually come on for the run, so I was hoping she would be better for it. I don't know what the key to her has been, but the girl who rides her out every day, Gemma Docherty, tells me she's really come on in the last month." PA

2.05pm Kitty has a date at Royal Ascot in Queen Mary

Ceiling Kitty caused a 20-1 surprise in the Langleys Solicitors LLP EBF Marygate Fillies' Stakes at York as the hot favourite Baileys Jubilee proved a major disappointment.

Tom Dascombe's Ceiling Kitty took three races to break her duck at Kempton but was given a nice tow into the race by the unbeaten 2-5 market leader Baileys Jubilee, who made her way to the stands' rail.

However, it was Mayfield Girl, racing alone in the middle of the track, who provided the sternest opposition as Baileys Jubilee surprisingly began to weaken and Richard Kingscote was able to push his mount two lengths clear.

Dascombe said: "That's the first Black type home-bred. We claimed the mare [Baldovina] five years ago from Marco Botti. The first foal [Van Go Go] won three races last year. We thought she would be better and she's done nothing wrong. She missed the break first time out, then she hated the ground at Beverley and won at Kempton. I suppose she's got to go to Royal Ascot now for the Queen Mary." PA

Friday's best bets, by Will Hayler

A new day, but a familiar whinge. The 8-1 nap gets chinned by a neck and the 11-2 next-best wins by 14 lengths at 11-2. I know I should be used to this by now, but it still hurts.

Those wanting to stick to a winning system should note that the next-best (a peculiarly anachronistic term meaning the second-best selection of the day) is Media Hype (4.10), who looks to have a belting chance on the final day of the Dante meeting.

Bought out of Luca Cumani's yard at the end of season after suffering an injury-interrupted campaign, he has come back like a different horse for the Burkes, scoring effortlessly at Pontefract first time out before meeting with defeat in unfortunate circumstances at Haydock subsequently. Media Hype travelled so smoothly under Phil Makin that he hit the front far too soon and quickly went clear, only to wander across the track when alone in the lead and allow one rival to come and cut him down at the line.

Makin gets the chance to make amends here and I will not be expecting to see this strong-travelling performer until later in the contest.

I've gone slightly off the wall for my selections in the televised races but I just can't accept that 16-1 is the right price for Blue Bajan given his two previous second-place finishes in the race. There's plenty of pace in this year's contest and that will suit his come-from-behind tactics. You can read more of my thoughts on the race here.

And the nap? Well, that's Gulf Of Naples (8.00) up at Hamilton. Nobody should be surprised to see Mark Johnston target a race called the Braveheart Handicap and the trainer looks to have most angles covered by running the selection and Ithoughtitwasover.

The latter edges things in the betting but I'd rather be with Gulf Of Naples, who keeps impressing me this season and is just the sort to move forwards for his gruelling third in the Chester Cup only last week rather than shrink back into his shell. This horse, who reminds me so much of the ill-fated Fox Hunt, will be running in Cup races by the end of the season.

Tipping competition , day five

Harrytheactor had another winner, Bonfire (3-1), yesterday and is either playing Crisp or Frankel, with such a healthy lead as we enter the final furlong. Thewrongtree and newcomer Pennington89 paired Bonfire with Cloudy Spirit (13-2). No one had Dancing Freddy (28-1), continuing the theme of this week of missed opportunities.

For today's thrilling climax, we'd like your tips, please, for these races: 2.30 York, 3.55 Newmarket, 4.10 York.

GET THOSE TIPS IN EARLY! In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day (TODAY).

This week's prize is a copy of A Weight Off My Mind, the autobiography of Richard Hughes, due to be launched on Saturday and which, we are promised, will be impressively frank.

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not already joined in this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -12.

For terms and conditions click here.

Good luck!

Standings after day four

Harrytheactor +19.75

factormax +4.25

Brochdoll +3

NRJITFC +2

sandiuk +1.75

zizkov123 +1.50

Thewrongtree -0.50

Pennington89 -0.50

23skidoo -1

Lameduck -1.25

kingklynch -1.75

olderandcolder -3.75

Mulldog -3.75

Toptrapper -4.50

orso -4.50

twig28 -4.50

Ellandback -4.75

Lindsey6677 -5.25

scandalous -5.25

Ormrod76 -5.25

JahLion -5.25

paddytheirishman1 -5.25

WalthamstowLad -5.75

SmokingGun1 -5.75

SilentCartography -5.75

jaygee1 -6

Mai11 -6.50

chiefhk -7.50

unfaircomment -7.50

wiggy12 -8

shears39 -8

chipsolderer -8

glavintoby -8

redlobster91 -8.50

brendandanger -8.50

Shrewdette -8.50

Moscow08 -8.50

millreef -8.50

mmmdanish -8.50

FinsburyPark -9.25

fatdeano -9.25

GForce1 -9.25

slackdad38 -9.25

nadhr79 -9.25

BearRides -9.25

diegoisgod -9.25

TL127 -9.25

suckzinclee -9.25

Dangalf -9.25

Talos77 -9.25

Templegate -9.25

moidadem -12

xwireman -12

genesismama57 -12

ToffeeDan1 -12

William36 -12

waltersobchak -12

Copshaw -12

Yossarian24 -12

melonk -12

SussexRH -12

stee33 -12

coma88 -12

sangfroid -12

tanias -12

carl31 -12

spiller -12

john987 -12

Sportingchad -12

cptbeaky -12

pillian83 -12

tommygrun -12

iainqos -12

Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.

And post your tips or racing-related comments below.

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