The connections of Frankel said after his 13th straight victory last week that they hoped racing fans would be patient while they weigh up the alternatives for his next, and probably final, trip to the track. "Give us a moment to sit down and take it all in," Lord Grimthorpe, Prince Khalid Abdullah's racing manager, said, "[and] we'll hopefully come up with a solution that satisfies."
The reality, of course, is that they cannot satisfy everyone. It is difficult to say for sure – and personal prejudice may well play its part here – but my guess would be that a significant majority of racing fans would like to see Frankel end his career in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
It was not a possibility that had been seriously considered until last Wednesday, when Frankel stepped up to the extended 10 furlongs of the International Stakes with such ease and brilliance. Now, though, the idea is off and running, and if instead Frankel sticks to Plan A in the Champion Stakes 13 days later, many will mourn the race that never was.
If, on the other hand, Frankel goes to Paris, it will be a crushing disappointment for British Champions Day at Ascot and all those connected with it, including the thousands who have already purchased tickets. Spin it as they may, it will be hard to pass it off as Champions Day if the champion of champions has been sent elsewhere.
The betting – although Frankel is being offered "with a run" for the Arc – suggests that he would have a 90% chance of winning the Champion Stakes, which is as close to certainty as an essentially uncertain sport generally gets. In the Arc, his chance would drop to around 75%, which reflects the slight unknown of the 12-furlong trip, the travelling, and the misfortune that can afflict any horse in a big field around Longchamp, particularly if it starts from a poor draw.
The incentive for Frankel's owner to give up that extra 15% of certainty is that while the Champion Stakes is a valuable and prestigious race, it is not, and as far as most racing fans are concerned never will be, a match for the Arc. The setting, the atmosphere and the heritage of the race, which includes several Abdullah-owned horses on its roll of honour, set it apart.
Victory for Frankel in Paris would seal the deal for most racing fans. He would be not simply the outstanding miler that any of us have seen, but the best racehorse from eight furlongs to 12. Brigadier Gerard and Sea Bird II will always have a few hold-outs, but it would be difficult to argue with a 14-from-14 record, nine straight Group Ones and a finale in the Arc.
It probably won't happen. The Champion Stakes is the safe option and that extra degree of certainty is doubly attractive with a perfect career now within sight. The real frustration here, though, is that it is not a choice which should be forced upon Frankel's connections in the first place. He should be able to run in both.
That, of course, would require a switch to mid-September for Champions Day, and perhaps the mere possibility that Frankel might run at Longchamp rather than Ascot, and the disaster that would represent for Champions Day, should persuade its organisers to think again about pressing seriously for a new place in the calendar.
The best horses need to be given every opportunity to compete in public, be that in Britain, France or elsewhere. Champions Day should be the launch point for the international climax to the Flat season, not an alternative attraction between the Arc and the Breeders' Cup.
Owners of top middle-distance horses will face this same dilemma every year until Champions Day moves to mid-September. It is too late for Frankel, but not for his sons and daughters.
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