In eight racecourse appearances, the unbeaten Frankel has more than proved a fitting tribute to the legendary US trainer Bobby Frankel, who provided owner/breeder Khalid Abdulla with a host of big-race victories in America until his death from cancer at the age of 68 in November, 2009.
The home-bred son of Galileo, a three parts brother to 2010 Lingfield Derby Trial winner Bullet Train, made an eye-catching winning debut when readily scoring in a mile maiden on Newmarket's July Course on 13 August, 2010, as he beat subsequent Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes victor Nathaniel by half a length.
He built on that promising start when quickening clear of two rivals for a bloodless 13-length victory in a seven-furlong conditions race at Doncaster's St Leger meeting on 10 September. The manner of the win saw Frankel propelled towards the head of ante-post markets for both the QIPCO 2000 Guineas and the Investec Derby and he showed himself as a juvenile of uncommon ability with a stunning success in the Group Two Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile at Ascot on 25 September.
Not content with the sedate pace, Tom Queally took up the running entering the straight and Frankel accelerated away from the field with ease to gain an almost effortless 10-length triumph over Klammer.
His trainer, Sir Henry Cecil, then suggested that Frankel was the finest juvenile to have passed through his hands since Wollow in 1975 (who subsequently went on to win the 2000 Guineas).
Frankel's final start of 2010 came at Newmarket on 16 October in the Group One Dubai Dewhurst Stakes. A strong line-up for the seven-furlong event also included dual Group One winner Dream Ahead and impressive Group Two victor Saamidd. Held up at the rear of the field, Frankel began to make smooth progress with three furlongs remaining, led before the furlong-pole and defeated Roderic O'Connor by two and a quarter lengths in good style. The runner-up strongly endorsed the form when winning a Group One in France afterwards.
Frankel was the joint champion two-year-old in Europe on official ratings with Dream Ahead – rated 126.
Frankel reappeared this season in the seven-furlong Group Three Greenham Stakes at Newbury on 16 April, when he went to the front passing the three-furlong marker to record a comfortable four-length success over subsequent French Group One winner Excelebration.
He started the shortest-priced favourite in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas since Apalachee, third at 4/9 in 1974, going off at ½. He galloped his opponents into submission and was over 10 lengths clear before halfway, winning by six lengths from Dubawi Gold with the field very strung out.
He then headed to Royal Ascot for the Group One St James’s Palace Stakes on 14 June and extended his unbeaten run. But the victory was not delivered in the manner expected by his legion of admirers. Queally sent the colt to the lead with well over three furlongs remaining and Frankel was six lengths clear with a quarter of a mile to run.
After such an explosive mid-race burst however, his momentum decreased markedly inside the final furlong, allowing the deep-closing Zoffany to get within three quarters of a length at the line.
Frankel took on older opposition for the first time in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on 27 July, with the main threat set to come from five-time Group One winner Canford Cliffs in a race billed as the ‘Duel on the Downs’. In reality the contest looked distinctly one-sided as Frankel made the running before skipping clear of his rivals nearing the final furlong for an imperious five-length success.
Connections briefly toyed with the idea of stepping Frankel up to a mile and a quarter for either the Juddmonte International or the QIPCO British Champions Stakes before deciding to give Frankel one more start this season in the mile Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By QIPCO) on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on 15 October.
Frankel is the highest-rated horse in the world on 135, 5lb ahead of Australian sprinter Black Caviar, in the latest standings of the World Thoroughbred Rankings. He has started favourite in all his races and, for the last seven, has been sent off at odds-on.
3 b c Galileo (IRE) – Kind (IRE) (Danehill (USA))
Form: 1111–1111 Owner: Khalid Abdulla Breeder: Juddmonte Farms Ltd Race Record: Starts: 8; 1st: 8; 2nd:–; 3rd:–; Win & Place Prize Money: £805,609
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Allison is the Publisher of Eclipse Magazine. She loves going to the Races and is learning to bet (despite being officially the worst bettor in the History of the Universe), there’s a lot more to learn…
