Eminent has speed to strike first Classic blow for Frankel

It is almost too good a storyline to be true; Frankel wins the Qipco 2,000 Guineas with his first crop and, on top of that, the colt is called Eminent. Fanciful it may seem, but last month’s Craven winner is definitely the one they all have to beat in the first Classic of the season at Newmarket today.

Martyn Meade, who has switched from successful businessman to successful trainer, is not ‘small’ in any sense of the word and in Australasia there are not many silks more familiar than those belonging to the colt’s owner Sir Peter Vela – the New Zealander’s Ethereal won the 2001 Melbourne Cup – but both are welcome fresh faces at this rarefied level in British racing.

Eminent looks more of a Derby horse than a miler, but plenty of horses have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown and he certainly sets the bar among those who have had a run this season. He acts on the course, likes fast ground and is deceptively quick.

This is clearly his minimum trip and my initial thoughts were that he might be susceptible to an outand-out miler such as Churchill. Even though a tailwind can make a significant difference at Newmarket, he clocked the fastest Craven time for 50 years.

Churchill looks his main rival and did nothing wrong from Royal Ascot onwards last year, beating everything put in front of him. There is great confidence behind the colt in Ballydoyle.

Other contenders include Greenham winner Barney Roy, who is sure to be suited by the extra furlong of the Guineas, while French raider Al Wukair also impressed in his trial and is certainly not short of speed.