'Who would have thought we could be saying Frankel is arguably an even better stallion than he was a racehorse?'
Kitty Trice speaks to nominations manager Shane Horan about the Juddmonte giant and his legacy
The journey from champion racehorse to champion sire is not automatic. Genetics plays an uncontrollable part, with many a great on the racetrack failing to pass on his prodigious talent. But that is not the case with one giant of the turf, Frankel.
A horse who fate smiled upon from the moment his owner-breeder, the late Prince Khalid Abdullah, named him after the much-missed American trainer Bobby Frankel. It is nearing 16 years since the Danehill-sired mare Kind foaled the strong bay colt by Galileo who was to grow into a monster on the track and ultimately the world's joint-priciest stallion at £350,000.
Both racing fans and those closely involved with Frankel will have their own memories of the unbeaten legend whose 14-race haul featured ten Group 1s. Ranging from his explosive display in the Royal Lodge Stakes at two, to his jaw-dropping 2,000 Guineas demolition job, his dismissal of champion milers in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, his 11-length Queen Anne triumph, or the majesty of his Juddmonte International win, there was a lot to choose from.
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Published on 5 January 2024inFeatures
Last updated 16:50, 5 January 2024
- 'Winning with her gave me the same kick as a Group 1' - all aboard for season two of the Arqana Series
- 99 not out - assessing the candidates to be Galileo's 100th top-flight winner
- Under the bonnet - the pedigrees behind the 1,000 Guineas field
- Classic clues: a look behind the pedigrees and background of the 2,000 Guineas field
- 'It was like winning the lottery, it's unbelievable' - Strong Leader shining for the Rainbows after Aintree triumph
- 'Winning with her gave me the same kick as a Group 1' - all aboard for season two of the Arqana Series
- 99 not out - assessing the candidates to be Galileo's 100th top-flight winner
- Under the bonnet - the pedigrees behind the 1,000 Guineas field
- Classic clues: a look behind the pedigrees and background of the 2,000 Guineas field
- 'It was like winning the lottery, it's unbelievable' - Strong Leader shining for the Rainbows after Aintree triumph