| Frankel | |
|---|---|
Frankel cruises to a 13-length victory in a Doncaster Conditions stakes on his second start |
|
| Sire | Galileo |
| Grandsire | Sadler's Wells |
| Dam | Kind |
| Damsire | Danehill |
| Sex | Colt |
| Foaled | 2008 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Juddmonte Farms |
| Owner | Prince Khalid Abdulla |
| Trainer | Henry Cecil |
| Jockey | Tom Queally |
| Record | 9: 9-0-0 |
| Earnings | £1,372,709 |
| Major wins | |
| Royal Lodge Stakes (2010) Dewhurst Stakes (2010) 2,000 Guineas Stakes (2011) St. James's Palace Stakes (2011) Sussex Stakes (2011) Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (2011) |
|
| Awards | |
| European Horse Of The Year (2011) European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt (2010) European Champion Three-Year-Old Colt (2011) Timeform Rating: 143 [1] |
|
| Horse (Equus ferus caballus) | |
Frankel (foaled 2008 in Great Britain) is a thoroughbred colt racehorse bred by Juddmonte Farms, trained by Sir Henry Cecil and owned by Prince Khalid Abdulla. Named after the renowned and late American trainer Bobby Frankel, Frankel is unbeaten in nine races and is officially rated as the best racehorse in the world. [2] After his win in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October 2011, Frankel was given a rating of 143 by Timeform, the highest mark awarded by the organisation in over forty years and their fourth-highest of all time behind Sea Bird, Brigadier Gerard and Tudor Minstrel. [3]
Perhaps best known for his win in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in April 2011, a performance which has been described as "one of the greatest displays on a British racecourse", [4] Frankel will remain in training as a four year-old before being retired to stud. British bloodstock agency McKeever Bloodstock has suggested that Frankel has a valuation of £100 million, an estimate which may be "conservative". [5]
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Frankel began his two-year-old career on 13th August 2010 in a one mile maiden race at Newmarket on soft ground. Held up by jockey Tom Queally before making headway two furlongs out, he led inside the final furlong and ran on to beat John Gosden's future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Nathaniel by half a length.
Next time, Frankel first hinted that he was something out of the ordinary in the Frank Whittle Conditions Stakes over seven furlongs at Doncaster on 10th September 2010. The horse posted an excellent speed figure despite never doing anything more than a hack canter under Queally and coasted to a 13-length success. It was at this point that the racing world began to take notice.
His next visit to the racecourse was on 24th September 2010 where he tackled Group company for the first time in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot, a race sponsored by his owner Khalid Abdulla. The race was notable for Frankel's sensational mid-race move around the home turn and the colt bounded clear to beat subsequent Horris Hill Stakes winner Klammer by an easy 10 lengths. Treasure Beach, the Epsom Derby runner-up and Irish Derby winner the following year, was beaten just under 11 lengths. After the race, Peter Scargill of The Racing Post said that "the jockey merely pushed his mount out hands and heels to win by ten lengths – it could've easily been more".[6] Trainer Henry Cecil said: "He was very impressive. He has been ticking all the right boxes. In the last two months he has started to really improve, improve and improve".[6]
Frankel's final start of 2010 was the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on 16 October 2010, by far his biggest challenge to date.[7] The race - billed as the two-year-old race of the century [8] - also featured two other unbeaten colts; Dream Ahead, 10-length winner of the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes a fortnight earlier and Saamidd, winner of Doncaster's Champagne Stakes and labelled "Pegasus" by his Godolphin stable. Frankel subsequently won the race "comfortably" by two and a quarter lengths. The runner-up, Roderic O'Connor, subsequently won the Group 1 Critérium International at Saint-Cloud and then the Irish 2000 Guineas as a three year-old. Frankel remained unbeaten going into winter quarters, despite his rider Queally never picking up his stick at any time. The racing world and the Cecil camp waited with eager anticipation for the sport's new superstar to re-appear in 2011.
Frankel's prep-race for the 2000 Guineas and the first start of his three-year-old career was the Greenham Stakes at Newbury on 16th April 2011 over seven furlongs. He defeated Excelebration - who went on to win the Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) and the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp that season - by a comfortable four lengths, Frankel showing his customary turn of foot around a furlong from home. Following the race, trainer Henry Cecil insisted that the colt would improve dramatically for the outing before the Newmarket Classic.
On 30th April 2011, Frankel was the hot favourite at odds of 1/2, the shortest-priced favourite in the race since 1974. [9] The colt more than lived up to the lofty expectations on the Rowley Mile by delivering one of the most dominant Group One performances in racing history. He jumped straight to the lead, surprising many of the jockeys in the race, and had the horse in second place, the Frankie Dettori-ridden Casamento, off the bridle after only three furlongs. Frankel maintained a relentless gallop and his majestic, ground-devouring stride had taken him into a lead of around 15 lengths by half way. Many of the racegoers at Newmarket burst into spontaneous applause fully two furlongs from home to acclaim a new champion and, by the time he crossed the line, Frankel was still six lengths clear.
The performance was described as "barely believable", [10] while Paul Curtis of the Racing Post said afterwards that "Frankel's astonishing performance puts him firmly in the superstar status". [11]
Although he had been the long-time favourite for the Epsom Derby, doubts about his stamina meant that he did not go to Epsom to tackle racing's Blue Riband. [12] Instead his next start was in the St. James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot on 14th June 2011. In the race itself the pacemaker, Rerouted, went off at a break-neck pace and had opened up a sizeable lead by half-way. Frankel was then asked by jockey Tom Queally to go after him and, showing an amazing turn of foot, kicked up to him, passed him and opened up a lead of six lengths on the rest of the field with two furlongs to go. However, in the final furlongs the 20-1 shot Zoffany began to gain ground and Frankel held on by 3/4 length to win the race, despite it looking very much like the mid-race move engineered by Queally was taking its toll on the horse.
Following the race, Queally received a lot of criticism from many quarters for what many saw as an ill-judged ride. Despite claims from Cecil and Queally that the horse was merely idling in front, many observers saw the race as the first time that Frankel had been exposed as having chinks in his armour.
In a race viewed by many as the most eagerly awaited confrontation in years, Frankel scored a five-length victory over five-time consecutive Group 1 winner Canford Cliffs on 27 July 2011 at Goodwood. In a race billed as "The Duel on the Downs", Frankel was obliged to make the running and produced a scintillating turn of foot before the furlong pole to leave the world's top-rated older miler - who had beaten three-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner Goldikova in his previous race - trailing in his wake.
Frankel received countless accolades following his bloodless victory. His trainer Sir Henry Cecil said: "I think it's a facetious thing to say, but he's the best I've ever seen. I suppose the only ones I could compare would be Shergar and Blushing Groom at his best. I can't go back to the days of Tudor Minstrel and match races, but he's the best in my lifetime."[13] During the interview Cecil also said that he had expected the colt to win easily, despite having ample respect for his horse's rival Canford Cliffs.
Following Frankel's win in the Sussex Stakes, rumours abounded that Cecil would aim Frankel at the Juddmonte International Stakes at York in mid-August. The race, over a mile and a quarter, would be the first time Frankel would contest a race over that distance. However, after careful consideration with owner Prince Khalid Abdulla, Cecil announced the following day that the colt would have only one more race in 2011, in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot's QIPCO British Champions Day on October 15 2011.
As a result of his victory in the Sussex Stakes, the British Horseracing Authority raised Frankel's official rating from 130 (tied with Australian horse Black Caviar) to 135, making him officially the best racehorse in the world.
As was planned, Frankel lined-up in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. His presence did not scare off the opposition with a strong eight horse field declared for the race, including Excelebration, the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp winner. Immortal Verse, winner of the Coronation Stakes and Prix Jacques Le Marois, and also Dick Turpin, who won the Premio Vittorio di Capua earlier in the year as well as the previous year's victor, the Godolphin trained Poet's Voice.
Prior to the race, in appreciation of a racehorse not seen in years, Frankel's every move was greeted with applause from walking into the pre-parade ring to parading in front of the packed stands. In the race itself, Frankel, despite hanging his head and pulling too hard early was again too good. Surging powerfully clear when asked to go about his business by jockey Tom Queally and winning by an easy and rapidly increasing 4 lengths at the line with last-start Group 1 winners Excelebration and Immortal Verse filling the minor placings. It had been the third occasion in 2011 season that Excelebration had succumbed to the Cecil trained star.
He was given a Timeform rating of 143 in this race, moving into sole third in the Timeform all-time flat rating list.[14]
While Frankel has contested no further than a mile (eight furlongs) in his career to date, a four year-old campaign will comprise some of the premier ten-furlong races in the calendar. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Prince Khalid Abdulla, has mentioned the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury as a potential starting point, then "the Queen Anne or the Prince of Wales's Stakes, the Eclipse and the Juddmonte." [15] While Frankel has only raced in England, it is possible that the horse may contest the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita in 2012 as a final career start. [16]
Trainer Sir Henry Cecil has said that he believes his charge will improve for another winter and that the horse "will get a mile and a quarter very easily". The Newmarket trainer added: "He's really beginning to grow up. You're going to see a better horse next year and he's pretty good as he is." [17]
Frankel is by champion sire Galileo and out of Listed sprint-winner Kind. Although his sire won the Derby, doubts surfaced over whether Frankel's staying power would be sufficient for the mile-and-a-half race. Frankel was instead targeted towards the St James's Palace Stakes.
Frankel is a three-parts brother to Lingfield Derby Trial winner Bullet Train, who is often used as his work companion and pacemaker, while the once-raced Noble Mission is a full-brother to Frankel. Both relatives are also trained by Sir Henry Cecil and owned by Prince Khalid Abdulla.
| Sire Galileo (IRE) b. 1998 |
Sadler's Wells (USA) b. 1981 |
Northern Dancer (CAN) b. 1961 |
Nearctic (CAN) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natalma (USA) | |||
| Fairy Bridge (USA) b. 1975 |
Bold Reason (USA) | ||
| Special (USA) | |||
| Urban Sea (USA) ch. 1989 |
Miswaki (USA) ch. 1978 |
Mr. Prospector (USA) | |
| Hopespringseternal (USA) | |||
| Allegretta (GB) ch. 1978 |
Lombard (GER) | ||
| Anatevka (GER) | |||
| Dam Kind (IRE) b. 2001 |
Danehill (USA) b. 1986 |
Danzig (USA) dkb/br. 1977 |
Northern Dancer (CAN) |
| Pas De Nom (USA) | |||
| Razyana (USA) b. 1981 |
His Majesty (USA) | ||
| Spring Adieu (CAN) | |||
| Rainbow Lake (GB) b. 1990 |
Rainbow Quest (USA) b. 1981 |
Blushing Groom (FR) | |
| I Will Follow (USA) | |||
| Rockfest (USA) ch. 1979 |
Stage Door Johnny (USA) | ||
| Rock Garden (GB) |