NEWMARKET, ENGLAND // Khalifa Dasmal's Dream Ahead was kept in Tuesday's St James's Palace Stakes at the penultimate declaration stage yesterday, but the job of containing Frankel at Royal Ascot just got harder as Henry Cecil confirmed the well-being of the 2000 Guineas winner.
Dream Ahead was ranked alongside Frankel at the end of last season as the joint-champion European juvenile.
Dream Ahead, trained by David Simcock, has a preference for soft ground, however, and has not been seen this season since finishing fifth behind Frankel in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October.
Frankel's demolition of the 2000 Guineas field at Newmarket in April could not have been more impressive, but Cecil reported that his stable star would be a tougher proposition next week.
"He's stronger than at Newmarket and has done very well physically since the race," said the 68 year old, who is to be awarded a knighthood in the Queen's birthday honours list.
"He's growing up and beginning to relax a lot more, and we're very happy with him."
Frankel's style of racing is flexible, and the Galileo colt is unlikely to repeat the trailblazing style which saw him secure his six-length success in the first British Classic of the season.
"We are not planning to do what we did there," said Cecil, who kept a little up in reserve.
"I've got a plan and hopefully it will work out; the tactics will be different."
Ascot is due to receive heavy rain tomorrow, and Dream Ahead's participation in Tuesday's 1,600m contest hinges on a piece of work this morning.
