Sir Henry Cecil on Friday spoke of his excitement about the prospect of his superstar colt Frankel going head-to-head with the brilliant dual Classic winner Camelot in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York in August.
 
That race looks like being the first time Frankel, the winner of all of his ten starts so far, will race beyond a mile with the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in less than two weeks time and the Qipco Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on August 1 his next two targets.

Plans for Camelot, who added the Derby to his win in the Guineas and two successes last year, are more fluid. He heads the betting for the Ladbrokes St Leger and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe later in the year and also the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh later in the month.

It is, however, the possibility of a clash between the two stars of the Flat at York on August 22 that has racing fans licking their lips and Cecil himself is among the camp who would like to see that momentous event occur.

"That would be very exciting," Cecil said. "[Camelot] can still do the Irish Derby, the Juddmonte and the St Leger and I am doing the Sussex Stakes and [then] three weeks after the Juddmonte. He is doing the Irish Derby and a longer break before the Juddmonte and can still go and do the Leger.

"Hopefully [Camelot] will go for the Juddmonte and I would love it because it would be exciting," Cecil told At The Races.

Frankel beat old foe Excelebration by five lengths on his reappearance at Newbury in the Lockinge Stakes last month and Cecil expects him to improve for that outing.

"I am not saying he is going to be but he could be [three or four lengths better]," the legendary trainer said.

"I think he is better, he is stronger this year. I didn't push him but I have never pushed him for his first race anyway, as a two-year-old, a three-year-old or four-year-old. Like a lot of trainers we don't have them 100 per cent first time out, that is just the beginning.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Cecil continued: "He has got important engagements as the season goes on and the main thing is as long as he can win, let's hope he can win well, it does not matter if it is two lengths or ten lengths.

"The Juddmonte will be the most interesting as he is going another two and a half furlongs and he is going against different horses."