FABULOUS FRANKEL

Frankel
(Photo : Daily Record)

FRANKEL (GB)
Galileo (Ire) - Kind (Ire)

The long-awaited announcement of Frankel’s stud fee has been made. Those who follow these columns will recall our prediction that it would come in at around $200,000 - $250,000, and that wasn’t far off the mark at £125,000. If they book take 150 mares, that equates to somewhere between $25-30million a year, placing a value on him in the region of $150-200million. Last Tuesday, the son of Galileo was named “Cartier Horse Of The Year” for the second time, and while he has a little way to go before he matches his father’s fee of €300,000, he is by some stretch the second-most expensive stallion in Europe.

Philip Mitchell, general manager at Frankel’s new home, Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Farm, said “We believe our stallion roster is the best we have been able to offer breeders, and we are very excited with both of our new arrivals. The fee for Frankel reflects his merits as perhaps the greatest racehorse we have ever witnessed. He is by Galileo, who is now recognised as the best sire in the world, out of Kind, a winner of six races, and herself a daughter of one of the most influential stallions in the history of thoroughbred breeding, Danehill.”

Frankel stands this year alongside two other extremely popular sires in Oasis Dream and Dansili, both of whom are advertised at £80,000. Don’t even begin to convert those numbers into Rand; the depreciation in our currency in recent months, just puts these horses further beyond reach.

FRANKEL : AN IMMACULATE ENDING

Click above to watch Frankel winning the QIPCO Champion Stakes (G1)
(Photo : news.com.au)

QIPCO CHAMPION STAKES (G1)
Ascot, Turf, 2012m
20 October 2012

He faced real adversity for the first time in his glory-strewn career yesterday, but Khalid Abdullah’s greatest gift to racing, Frankel (GB) (Galileo) duly overcame unfavorable testing ground and a blown start to sign off victorious in the G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Long targeted at the £1.3-million race that could almost have been revamped with him in mind, the sell-out audience and millions glued to TV sets and the internet around the world were made to wait until late morning for him to be confirmed a definite runner after persistent rain in the week had turned the Berkshire turf to heavy in places. Memories of his blitz on Newmarket’s slick surface in last year’s 2000 Guineas led the mind to wonder if he could cope with a slog in these conditions, and the usual flood of cash was stemmed slightly to produce a starting price of 2-11.

As the clouds broke over Ascot in the build-up to this finale, the tension rose in parallel, and a final bout of showers on Thursday into Friday created a crucible in which his champion status would be challenged most acutely. Months of nurture and expert horsemanship saw him enter the buzzy parade ring with nonchalance, and that casual air saw him surrender a normally crucial margin of three lengths out of the stalls. Ian Mongan on Bullet Train (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) dropped anchor in front to allow Tom Queally to ease into the pack, which forced Olivier Peslier on Cirrus des Aigles, to take up the running after 1 1/2 furlongs, with Frankel coasting along in fourth. Bullet Train came back to pester the French raider and was in front again on the approach to the home turn, but by now his customary honest pace-setting role had been shot to pieces, and as Cirrus des Aigles took control with Peslier apparently full of horse at the top of the stretch, Frankel was still over two lengths down.

That deficit had been wiped out with the minimum of effort by the furlong marker, where Queally became animated for the first time, and after administering one slap with the whip with just over 100 yards left to race, immortality was sealed.

His rider, who has played no small part in the success story, was full of admiration afterwards. “I’m so proud of him and it’s been an amazing journey,” Queally commented. “I can’t tell you what it’s meant to be part of it. He’s just getting more and more relaxed as time goes on, and waited until the gates were open. He was slowly away at York, and he was slower today, but I’ve so much belief in the horse and in the past I’ve pushed that to the limit. We lost a length, but a length is nothing to him. He traveled through, and I suppose it’s fair to say that he’s better on better ground, but the turbo, 4x4, everything kicked in. It was pointless getting him on his head before I had to. We were in no rush today, the way the ground was. I was happy all the way and his class really showed today, as I walked the track and I was a little worried about the conditions. Having walked it in the home straight, I knew it wasn’t too heavy for him to quicken up and go about his business. You want every angle covered and everything in your favour, so in that respect there was always a little worry, but he was in great heart today, and he looked a lot better than he did 12 months ago on this day.”

On being Frankel’s jockey, he added, “There is pressure and there’s pressure in all walks of life, but I gladly take that on board. I could stay here all night and tell you what it means to me. The people at Warren Place are one huge family that have pulled together. I don’t get nervous because I’m close to it and I have control, but I can imagine what other people were feeling.” He concluded, “It’s only been a few years, but it’s been a long road and everybody that’s worked with him can take a bow.”

Juddmonte’s Racing Manager Lord Grimthorpe commented, “He’s wonderful - the greatest, isn’t he? He didn’t enjoy that ground as much as he normally does, but he got into a rhythm and was happy. He wasn’t pulling and had a straightforward, trouble-free passage. He had it under control in the straight, but that’s him. He’s brought a whole new generation of people to the sport, and he’s brought wider public recognition to the sport. He was something to savor, the ultimate equine athlete, and I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Khalid Abdullah announced Frankel’s immediate retirement, “That is the end,” he stated simply. It was left to Sir Henry Cecil to pay the ultimate tribute. “He is the best I’ve ever had and the best I’ve ever seen,” he said. “I’d be surprised if there has ever been better.”

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

FRANKEL UNTOUCHABLE IN JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL STAKES

Click above to watch Frankel winning the Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr1)
(Image : British Bloodstock/York Lake - Footage : The Derby)

JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL STAKES (Gr1)
York, Turf, 2090m
22 August 2012

The perfect mix of Poetry and Destruction.

The glory of Rhythm, Power and Majesty.

The Undisputed Champion of the World.

13 from 13.

FRANKEL.

FRANKEL DEFENDS QIPCO SUSSEX STAKES CROWN

Click above to watch an insert on Frankel’s win in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes (G1)
(Photo : Bettor - Footage : HorseRaceEquidia)

QIPCO SUSSEX STAKES (Group 1)
Goodwood, Turf, 1609m
1 August 2012

Before yesterday’s G1 Qipco Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, the only meaningful betting was on the winning distance of Frankel (GB) (Galileo), as his Black Caviar-like starting price of 1-20 was prohibitive to say the least. That said, the bookmakers had no option than to deter the punters, and the inevitable duly occurred with Tom Queally having matters wrapped up once the Juddmonte juggernaut had been allowed to stride past his invaluable 3/4-brother Bullet Train (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) approaching the quarter pole. From there, it was like a piece of exercise on the Newmarket gallops as he glided to a six-length defeat of Farhh (GB) (Pivotal) to make it a dozen outings unbeaten and become the first to win this race twice.

Now with an average winning distance of five lengths in all the Group 1 events he has contested, Frankel has also equaled the record set by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) (Danehill) of seven consecutive successes at the top level in Europe. In doing so, he set himself up perfectly for his first attempt at further than a mile in the G1 Juddmonte International over an extended 10-furlong trip at York in three weeks’ time. Unfortunately, both Khalid Abdullah and Sir Henry Cecil were absent due to health reasons, but Frankel gave them no cause for concern as he extended his stable’s record of wins in this to seven since 1975.

“Every moment spent on his back is a special one and today was no different,” the humble and talented Tom Queally said after guiding his 18th winner at this level for Sir Henry Cecil. “He’s amazing and he had all the other horses cooked a little after halfway. You don’t have to ask him to do an awful lot, and again he put distance between them without doing anything major from my point of view. It was a nice prep for his next race, and he’s a class apart from anything else at the moment. He does it all very easily and therefore I have a very easy job - all I have to do is steer. He’s turning Group 1 races into processions. The crowd really appreciate him, and it’s important that they do.”

Speaking on behalf of the Juddmonte operation and Warren Place was Teddy Grimthorpe, and he was struggling to summarise afterwards. “Frankel is something else - we are lucky to have him and racing is tremendously fortunate,” he said. “He really is just a remarkable equine. Henry and everyone at Warren Place have done a fantastic job, and it’s been a great effort just to get him absolutely spot on. I think it’s hugely exciting that he’s going to step up in trip now. It’s a new challenge for him and it’s what everybody wants to see him do. I think he’s ready to do it, as he’s much more mature, both mentally and physically. He always works wonderfully and keeps putting it in, so it almost becomes the norm, but we have to enjoy it, as these incredible, exceptional horses are what we come into racing for. Henry has that tremendous feel for horses and Tom has built up a great affinity for the horse now. Earlier on in his career, it was probably Frankel that was telling him what he wanted to do, but now it’s a very good combination.”

Despite the ease of his 12th success, Frankel is set to stay on his current world ranking of 140 pounds, according to the British Horseracing Authority’s Mile Handicapper Dominic Gardiner-Hill. “I’m sure that was exactly what his connections wanted - a stroll on the Downs before he tackles a longer trip for the first time at York in three weeks’ time,” he said. “He went into the race with 32 pounds in hand of Gabrial and he has beaten him 9 1/4 lengths, so initial interpretation of that would be that Frankel ran to a mark in the high 120’s or possibly 130, as he won so comfortably. To achieve the highest rating ever, he needs to run in a race where there’s greater strength in depth, and I feel that he can only do that over 10 furlongs. In his races over the last year, he’s really only ever had one horse to beat - Canford Cliffs in this race a year ago, Excelebration in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, JLT Lockinge and Queen Anne, and Farhh this afternoon - but if the likes of Cirrus des Aigles, Nathaniel and St Nicholas Abbey take him on over 10 furlongs, we should get a real handle on just how good he is.”

Extract from Throughbred Daily News

FRANKEL MAKES IT PERFECT 10 WITH LOCKINGE STAKES WIN

Click above to watch Frankel winning the Lockinge Stakes (Gr1)…
(Image : Telegraph - Footage : PSTVOnline)

LOCKINGE STAKES (Group 1)
Newbury, Turf, 1600m
19 May 2012

Noises from the Southern Hemisphere have recently questioned whether the Sir Henry Cecil-trained Frankel (GB) (Galileo) is indeed the world’s best, but the Juddmonte juggernaut’s reply came across loud and clear Saturday as he went 10-for-10 in his own incredible fashion in Newbury’s Gr1 Lockinge Stakes.

Despite a well-documented setback in training last month and a race-hardened Excelebration (Ire) (Exceed and Excel) lining up to expose any resulting flaw, Khalid Abdullah’s legend-in-the-making simply continued where he left off with another monstrous performance.

Sent off the 2-7 favorite, the unbeaten star followed his 3/4-brother Bullet Train (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) as he would on the Newmarket slopes and, when asked to go on with a quarter mile remaining, stretched out in customary style to wallop his old adversary Excelebration once again by five lengths.

“He belongs to racing at the moment,” said jockey Tom Queally. “He’s filled out and is the real deal now.”

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News