Ghost of Frankel hangs over French legend's Champion hopes

One of the iconic racing images of this century came at Champions Day at Ascot in 2012 as the mighty Frankel bowed out unbeaten after landing the Champion Stakes.
His legendary but terminally ill trainer Henry Cecil was cheered to the rafters in the winners enclosure.
Echoes of that momentous day will be present when the fourth Champions Day takes place this Saturday as Frankel's brother Noble Mission is saddled by Cecil's widow Jane in the same race.
The only difference this time is the darling of the end of season showpiece is an eight-year-old gelding from France, Cirrus des Aigles.
Cirrus des Aigles, trained also by a female trainer in the shape of the indefatigable Corine Barande-Barbe, had to give second best to Frankel in 2012 having won the race the year before under a determined ride by the jockey who will ride him again on Saturday - Christophe Soumillon.
He also had to settle for second last year behind Farhh.
Cirrus des Aigles -- who has his own Facebook page with over 4,000 likes -- has another target in his sights in becoming the record European prizemoney winner of all time.
He certainly should achieve that goal on Saturday as he is 30,000 pounds adrift of present holder the now retired Gloria De Campeao, who racegoers in Europe would be hard pressed to remember as most of his winnings came from victory in the Dubai World Cup.
Cirrus enters the fray for the 740,000 pound first prize with career earnings of £5,867,090.
Barbe's star -- who is barred from running in Europe's most prestigious race the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe because he is a gelding -- warmed up for the Champion Stakes with victory in the Prix Dollar but was subsequently disqualified.
Neverthless it was an encouraging run after a lay-off because of injury in a season which has seen him collect another three Group One prizes including a victory over two-time Arc champion Treve in the Prix Ganay.
His chances have been boosted by several leading rivals falling by the wayside for the race for various reasons.
Dual Derby winner Australia is injured while St Leger winner Kingston Hill's exertions in finishing fourth in the Arc have cost him his place and the French Derby and Irish Champion Stakes victor The Grey Gatsby wouldn't like the ground which has been affected by heavy rain.
However, Barbe is positively purring over the ground.
"It wouldn’t disturb him even if there was snow," she said.
"He knows how to swim. He can win the same race by eight lengths if it’s heavy and only by one length if it's not."
Barbe, who trains just 24 horses, said she was surprised sometimes at the attention he received and nothing has changed ahead of his 60th career start.
"I am very confident in him," she says.
"People ask me about him like I am married to the president of the United States but, when I arrive at the races and I see that he is happy, I don’t have to worry."
Noble Mission has not accrued the treasures nor the plaudits that his superstar brother did, but rather like the prodigal son he has redeemed a shaky start to his career with some notable wins.
This year he has been kept busy with seven runs and picked up two Group One victories including the Grand Prix de St Cloud, being awarded it after the original winner Spiritjim was diqualified for failing a dope test.
Cecil, who took over the stables after Henry died in June last year, acknowledges that having been over seven lengths behind Cirrus last year in the Prix Dollar leaves a lot of ground to make up.
"We know he likes soft -- it’s just a pity Cirrus des Aigles does too! I hardly dare dream what it would be like to win on Saturday. I am a mixture of nervous and excited," she told the Daily Telegraph.
Source: AFP