It’s Lockinge Stakes day at Newbury, the first open class Group 1 of the British flat season. Run over a straight mile, the Lockinge was first run in 1958 and is now an important early-season target for some of the top milers in training.<\/p>\n
Success here often sees the winner aimed at the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and Ribchester was the last horse to land the Lockinge and Queen Anne double, in 2017.<\/p>\n
The odds on favourite for this year\u2019s renewal is Palace Pier, trained by John and Thady Gosden, who arrives here following victory<\/a> in the Group 2 bet365 Mile at Sandown last month. He\u2019s set to be partnered by Frankie Dettori who is chasing a fifth Lockinge Stakes winner, 27 years after riding his first.<\/p>\n In preparation for Saturday\u2019s big race<\/a>, we\u2019ve taken a look back at some of the top Lockinge winners of recent years, including the superstar, Frankel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Frankel (2012)<\/strong><\/p>\n For many, Frankel is the greatest of all time, remaining undefeated over his 14 race career, including victory in the 2012 Lockinge Stakes. Arriving at Newbury with an official rating of 136, Frankel coasted home by five lengths from Excelebration to see him then given a rating of 138.<\/p>\n The Queen Anne Stakes was next on the agenda for Frankel where he was sent off the 1\/10 favourite and ran out an eleven-length winner<\/a>, once again from Excelebration. He was to race three more times in 2012 before being retired to stud with an official rating of 140.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n4 of the best Lockinge Stakes winners since 2000<\/h3>\n