FRANKEL SPARKLES AT CARTIER RACING AWARDS

Frankel - Cartier Horse Of The Year
(Image : Sky Sports/Cartier)

CARTIER RACING AWARDS
15 November 2011

Juddmonte’s Frankel (GB) (Galileo) continued to see off all challengers when the unbeaten colt took home Horse Of The Year honors at the Cartier Racing Awards at London’s Dorchester Hotel Tuesday night. His competition in that category were Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top), Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas), Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) and So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral).

Cirrus des Aigles and Danedream were named Champion Older Horse and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly respectively. Frankel was also honored as Champion 3-Year-Old Colt after a season that saw him collect the G1 2000 Guineas, G1 St. James’s Palace Stakes, G1 Sussex Stakes and G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Frankel is slated to stay in training next year. “Frankel has had a great year and is hugely exciting,” trainer Sir Henry Cecil said on his website Monday. “He really has caught the public eye, and it was great that he has given an interest to so many people. Hopefully, he will go on and I hope, by the time of the Eclipse Stakes, he will be ready to tackle a mile and a quarter. Personally, I think it is a distance he will get well now that he has learnt to settle better, and he could be an even better horse at that trip. Let’s hope he winters well and remains sound. Racing needs champions, and let us pray that he can continue where he left off.”

Trainer Barry Hills, who recently handed over his license to his son Charles, was voted this year’s Cartier / Daily Telegraph Award Of Merit winner. The award is for the person or persons who, in the opinion of the special 17-strong Cartier Jury, has / have done the most for European racing and / or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months. The list of past winners of the Cartier / Daily Telegraph Award of Merit includes Richard Hannon, John Oxx, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Niarchos Family, Peter Willett, Henry Cecil, David and Patricia Thompson, Lord Oaksey, Prince Khalid Abdulla, John Magnier, His Highness the Aga Khan, Peter Walwyn, the Head Family, Sir Peter O’Sullevan, Frankie Dettori, John Dunlop, the Marquess of Hartington, Francois Boutin, Lester Piggott and Henri Chalhoub.

The prestigious awards, which were established in 1991, were determined by points earned in pattern races during 2010, combined with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists and votes from readers of Racing Post and Daily Telegraph.

Cartier Racing Awards 2011

Horse of the Year
Frankel (GB) (Galileo)
Champion 3-Year-Old Colt
Frankel (GB) (Galileo)
Champion 3-Year-Old Filly
Danedream (GER) (Lomitas)
Champion 2-Year-Old Colt
Dabirsim (FR) (Hat Trick)
Champion 2-Year-Old Filly
Maybe (IRE) (Galileo)
Champion Older Horse
Cirrus des Aigles (FR) (Even Top)
Champion Sprinter
Dream Ahead (USA) (Diktat)
Champion Stayer
Fame And Glory (GB) (Montjeu)
Cartier / Daily Telegraph Award of Merit
Barry Hills

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

FRANKEL : ALL-TIME BEST?

Click above to watch Frankel winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr1)
(Image : Express & Star - Footage : Horse Course International)

QUEEN ELIZABETH II STAKES (Group 1)
Ascot, Turf, 1600m
15 October 2011

Brigadier Gerard, Mill Reef, Sea Bird, Ribot, Nearco, Man O’ War, Secretariat, Phar Lap, Sea Cottage. At some time or another, they’ve all been hailed the best ever, and since some of them were never beaten, their claims might have been legitimate.

The latest nominee is the modern-day hero, Frankel, whose victory in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr1) at Ascot elicited the usual superlatives. And some. Sir Henry Cecil has been around a long time, and he’s won many a British trainers’ championship. He thinks Frankel is the best horse he’s ever seen, and that says something for a man who married the daughter of Sir Noel Murless, and knew the quality of the horses conditioned by that great man, as well. Like Henry, Sir Noel was made a Knight of the Realm for his prowess with racehorses.

You might’ve expected that from Cecil though, as he trains the horse, so when one of the world’s greatest-ever jockeys, Frankie Detorri, says so, (and he’s never ridden him), we should pay attention. What Frankie said though, was that he’s ridden 500 Group One winners, including the inimitable Dubai Millennium, and none of them were in Frankel’s class. That said, Frankie’s statement is limited to 500 Group One winners, and that doesn’t necessarily make him the best horse of all time, but it’s 500 Group One winners, nonetheless. He was quick to add, that the only view he’s had of Frankel, has been “his backside”.

But, we can take it one step further, with ex-British Champion jockey, Willie Carson, now an eminent TV personality, who’s unhesitating in stamping this one as the best in his lifetime. And so says another British Champion, Michael Roberts, who officiated as a panellist at our Emperors Palace Ready To Run Gallops on Friday.

So Frankel it is for the time being, and when you consider the number of horses in training around the world these days, and the fact that it’s more competitive than ever and more difficult to stand out, he must be in that tiny pantheon of all-time greats, at the very least. It’s tempting to say that his opposition have not been the best generation of milers ever, but what isn’t arguable is the way he’s been winning, and the times he’s been posting. Perhaps he’s just made the rest look ordinary, particularly as several of them have a line through Goldikova, who’s got 14 Group Ones on her CV.

Whilst we don’t want to open up an entirely new debate, at last week’s Tattersalls sales in the UK, Charley Gordon-Watson, as revered among bloodstockers as there is, proclaimed Frankel’s sire, Galileo, the best stallion in his lifetime. That immediately draws comparisons with Galileo’s own sire, Sadler’s Wells, the only horse in history to win as many as twelve European sires titles, by far eclipsing the previous record of Hyperion, and somewhat outdistancing St Simon. Gordon-Watson’s statement was qualified by the caveat that it was Galileo’s versatility which provides him the edge over his illustrious father, given he has some way to go before he’s strung together as many championships as Sadler’s Wells did; Galileo’s stock win Group Ones at two, they’re world-class at a mile as well as a mile and a half, and some of them can go on to two miles. Besides, they win in Europe, Australia, South Africa and, as illustrated by Together’s victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland on Saturday, they win in the United States too, all the time at Group One level.

THE ARC DE TRIOMPHE : NAPOLEON'S PRIDE

So You Think
(Image : Inner Sanctum/Tourism Adventures)

PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE
Longchamp, Turf, 2400m
2 October 2011

Ask any Frenchman of what the symbol is of France’s greatest era, and he’ll tell you unhesitatingly, the Arc de Triomphe, which sits at the head of the Champs Elysees, and was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806.

There could be no greater celebration of the golden epoch in French imperial history, than by giving its name to a race in the heart of Paris’ Bois de Boulogne at the historic Longchamps racecourse.

Since its inauguration in 1857, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe has been staged on the first Sunday in October, and while for many years it vied with races like England’s King George for the title of the middle distance championship of Europe, in more recent decades, it’s become the undisputed champion of this cause.

While there’ve been “hotter” renewals of the Arc, this weekend’s is intriguing, not only for the fact that it brings together several of the younger generation whose credentials may be even greater than they’ve already displayed, but also because the betting is headed by an Australian in So You Think. The Wallabies form at the Rugby World Cup has left a lot of our Aussie mates looking to the Arc to provide some consolation for what could end up a William Webb Ellis dream unfulfilled, and if Aidan O’Brien’s esteem of the son of High Chaparral should finally materialize in a run as good as the word-slingers would have him be, So You Think could finally bring glory to Australia.

He won’t have it all his own way though, as he has last year’s hero, Workforce as an opponent as well as the Aga Khan’s outstanding filly, Sarafina, to contend with. The Wertheimer brothers have Goldikova’s high class half sister, Galikova (by Galileo, who else?), representing the three-year-old fillies, while Coolmore’s St Nicholas Abbey and the 2009 English Oaks winner, Snow Fairy, bring current Group One form to the table, and are also not without a squeak.

Finally, one of the younger brigade is the King George ace, Nathaniel (another by Galileo), whose possible defection because of the firmness of the ground, could detract from what could be the performance of the season, if this horse has progressed since his mid-summer exertions at Ascot.

Riveting stuff, and it’s bound to be featured on Tellytrack (Channel 232) at around 5pm Sunday.

CHAMPION MILER, CANFORD CLIFFS, RETIRED

Canford Cliffs
(Photo : The Telegraph)

CANFORD CLIFFS (IRE)
Tagula (IRE) - Mrs Marsh (GB)

Coolmore announced yesterday that five-time Group 1-winning miler, Canford Cliffs (Tagula), has been retired on veterinary advice and will stand at Coolmore Stud for the 2012 season.

Canford Cliffs suffered an injury to his near-fore pastern during Sussex Stakes (Gr1) at Goodwood last week where he finished second to Frankel (Galileo).

His trainer Richard Hannon said: “Canford Cliffs was a very rare type in that he had such great early speed as a two-year-old but also stretched out to be a superb miler at three and four. He is without doubt the best horse I have had in over 40 years as a trainer. It’s bitterly disappointing for his owners and for everyone here in East Everleigh that he had to be retired due to injury but at least it does explain why he hung so badly at Goodwood. We were very much looking forward to taking on Frankel again.”

A €46,000 foal purchase at the Goffs November Foal Sale, he was then sold as a yearling for £50,000 at the Doncaster St Leger Sale. At two, Canford Cliffs won the Coventry Stakes (Gr2) over 6 furlongs by six lengths. In his Classic year, he finished third in the 2,000 Guineas (Gr1) to Makfi (Dubawi) and then went on to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas (Gr1), the St James’s Palace Stakes (Gr1) and then the Sussex Stakes (Gr1). He finished off the year with a 1 1/4 length victory over Worthadd (Dubawi) in the Lockinge Stakes (Gr1).

Canford Cliffs started off this year with a one-length victory in the Queen Anne Stakes (Gr1) at Royal Ascot beating Goldikova (Anabaa). His eleventh and final start came last week at Goodwood. Canford Cliffs had never finished unplaced; winning seven of his 11 career starts and being placed second twice and third twice.

Coolmore’s MV Magnier said: “Ever since we bought into him last year many of the top breeders in Europe have shown a very keen interest in him so I have no doubt he will be a very popular stallion.”

Extract from ANZ Bloodstock News

14TH GROUP 1 VICTORY FOR GOLDIKOVA

Click above to watch Goldikova wiining the Prix Rothschild
(Image : ANZ Bloodstock News - Footage : Deauville)

PRIX ROTHSCHILD (Group 1)
Deauville, Turf, 1600m
31 July 2011

Champion mare Goldikova (Anabaa) won her 14th Group 1 race and fourth straight Prix Rothschild (Gr1) over 1600m at Deauville on Sunday.

Jockey Olivier Peslier gave Goldikova a supremely confident ride tracking her pacemaker for the first 1000m before easing her out into the clear and quickly putting three lengths on the field.

Sahpressa (Sahm) finished quickly for second, getting close to Goldikova as Pesilier eased the Champion right done on the line.

Timepiece (Observatory) was a further two lengths back in third after having every chance in the run. Sahpressa reversed the form with Timepiece on their last run when finishing second in the Falmouth Stakes (Gr1) over 1600m.

Trainer Freddie Head said, “I really have nothing to add and she is just a wonderful racehorse. Goldikova does everything in such a regular manner. She just does what she’s used to have been doing for such a long time. I think she might have been a little short of work when running second in the Queen Anne Stakes. The mare just loves Deauville.”

Peslier who was riding is 100th Group 1 winner said, “It was just a nice piece of work and I never touched her with my whip. She just needed pushing out and there was still plenty of gas left in the tank at the end of the race. She is an exceptional horse and just loves the ambiance when racing at Deauville.”

Extract from ANZ Bloodstock News