When jockey Tom Queally steered Frankel onto the inside rail and stormed the winning post, with the best racing had to offer floundering seven lengths back, 30,000 fans on the Knavesmire were treated to one of those fabled ‘I was there moments.’

Thursday is Ladies’ Day at Ebor, but yesterday was without doubt Frankel Day, with Sir Henry Cecil’s four-year-old obliging his hype to extend his unbeaten streak to 13 races with victory in the Group 1 Juddmonte International.

So complete was Frankel’s performance that all questions over his ability to stay the one mile two furlong course – his first run at the distance – were instantly forgotten, filed away never to reappear.

Whether expert or novice there was no escaping the colt’s magnificence at York on Wednesday. If the Frankel flags and paddles being handed to punters at the turnstiles escaped your attention then the parade ring at 3.20pm would have surely pricked the anticipation of even the staunchest cynic.

York’s parade ring was reminiscent of The Mall on the Queen’s Jubilee – and why not, for both were motivated by the potential glimpse of royalty.

Ten deep an hour before the race, hundreds relinquished watching Thought Worthy announce his claim for the St Leger with a classy performance to win the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes, instead remaining patiently by the oval island of grass and rails.

It was not only the fans who were looking forward to seeing the best race horse in the world. Thought Worthy’s jockey, William Buick, when interviewed in the enclosure after the race ignored questions of Planteur’s chances in the Juddmonte, instead retorting with his excitement at being in the the same race as Frankel.

By the time the Juddmonte field were led into the ring the crowd had swollen to 15 deep, so much so that trainer John Gosden was nearly swallowed by the furore and had to fight his way to the stewards.

To those at the back who never saw Frankel enter, the wave of applause as the colt circled was the cue for hundreds of camera phones to be held aloft.

Even when away from the Frankel mania HQ of the parade ring, Queally and colt were accompanied up the home straight by jubilant cheers – he was yet to race but in the crowd’s minds he was already the victor.

An opinion shared by the bookies, with some offering Frankel – who was 1/7 with Paddy Power in the morning – at 1/10, others only accepted punts on the distance of victory, while several bookmakers simply advertised the odds for the 4.15pm.

The race was forced into a brisk early pace via the battle of Aiden O’Brien’s and Sir Henry Cecil’s pacesetters. O’Brien’s champion St Nicholas Abbey was aided by Robin Hood, and Frankel by three quarter brother Bullet Train.

As the horses rounded the final bend and entered the home straight the long-shots’ work was done but Queally waited, tracking Joseph O’Brien on St Nicholas Abbey on the inside rail.

Queally sat patient until two furlongs out – uncharted territory as the commentator aptly described – and then he slipped into third gear, pulling clear with the most ostentatious ease.

The Godolphin Farrh under Frankie Detorri and St Nicholas Abbey – both who reside at this distance and were meant to come into their element in the final two – were visions of ultimate industry. Frankel seemed to glide.

His white face flashed past the winning post to a crescendo of euphoria from 30,000 fans, all of who can say, ‘I was there.’

Claim Your Free £20 Bonus Now