Frankel

Frankel (foaled 2008 in Ireland) is a Thoroughbred colt racehorse trained by Sir Henry Cecil for Prince Khalid Abdulla. Named after legendary American trainer Bobby Frankel who died in November 2009, Frankel was an impressive two year old winning all four starts. These included the Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot and Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket and was enough to earn him the accolade of "[my] best two year old since Wollow" from his trainer. As a three year old, he won the 2000 Guineas in one of the highest-rating performances of all-time. After he subsequently won the Sussex Stakes his trainer 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.

Frankel began his two year old career in a 1 mile maiden race at Newmarket on soft ground. Held up by Tom Queally before making headway two furlongs out, he led inside the final furlong and ran on to beat John Gosden's Nathaniel (who subsequently won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes) by half a length.

His next outing was the 7 furlongs Frank Whittle Conditions Stakes at Doncaster, the same day one of his future scalps Saamidd was victorious in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes. The three runner affair saw Frankel canter to a thirteen length victory under a hands and heels ride from Tom Queally.

He won the 2010 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot, a race sponsored by his owner, highly impressively, beating French listed winner Klammer by an easy 10 lengths. After the race, Peter Scargill of The Racing Post said "the jockey merely pushed his mount out hands and heels to win by ten lengths – it could have easily been more". 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"

He won the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on 16 October, this race was supposed to be Frankel's biggest challenge to date - with the field including the two undefeated colts Dream Ahead and Saamidd. Frankel subsequently won the race "comfortably" by two and a quarter lengths. The runner up, Roderic O'Connor, later went on to win the Irish 2000 Guineas. The win meant that the horse has won on all four starts without Tom Queally having to pick up his stick. Quealley said "He got a bit of a bump on leaving stalls and that set him alight, but he quickened up well and put the race to bed. He wandered a bit off a true line on the ground, but we'll forgive him that!"

Frankel resumed as a three-year-old in April 2011 in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, winning by 4 lengths and beating Shropshire and Excelebration who went on to win the Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen, the German version of the 2000 Guineas.

Frankel started a long odds-on favourite for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, and he lived up to those high expectations by delivering one of the most dominant Group One performances in racing history. He jumped straight to the lead, and kept on extending his lead to around 15 lengths with 4 furlongs to go. Dubawi Gold and Native Khan chased valiantly, but Frankel was too far in front and won easily by 6 lengths. The performance earned him a Timeform rating of 142 - the third-equal highest rating awarded.

Although he had been the long-time favourite for the Epsom Derby, doubts about his stamina meant he that he did not go to Epsom to tackle racing's Blue Riband. Instead his next start was in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. In the race itself the pacemaker, Rerouted, went off at a breakneck pace. 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 20-1 shot Zoffany began to gain ground but Frankel dug deep and held him off by 3/4 length to win the race, despite it looking very much like the mid race move engineered by Queally was taking it's toll on the horse.

Following the race, jockey Queally received a lot of criticism from many quarters for what many saw as an I'll judged ride. This despite claims from Cecil and Queally that the horse was merely idling in front, many observers saw the race as the first time Frankel had been exposed as having potential limitations, and hence, questions about Frankel's "superhorse" status were asked for the first time.

Frankel scored a 5 length victory in a highly anticipated match up with 5 time consecutive group 1 winner Canford Cliffs on 27th July 2011 at Goodwood. In a race billed as "The duel on the downs" he made most of the running and produced a scintillating turn of foot just prior to the furlong pole to leave the world's best older miler trailing in his wake.

Following the race, the horse received countless accolades, including a statement from his trainer Sir Henry Cecil that he was "The best horse I have ever seen". During the interview Cecil also said that he had expected the colt to win easily, despite having a lot of respect for the race's other main protagonist Canford Cliffs.

On day three of Glorious Goodwood, following Frankel's win in the Sussex Stakes on day two, trainer Sir Henry Cecil suggested Frankel would be rested, then his final race of the year would be the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot's QIPCO British Champions Day on October 15th 2011, where he would be likely to race again against Canford Cliffs.

Following his victory in the Sussex Stakes, on day four of Glorious Goodwood, the British Horseracing Authority revised Frankel's official rating from 130 (tied with Australian horse Black Caviar) to 135, making him officially the best racehorse in the world.

Frankel is by champion sire Galileo and out of sprint listed winner Kind. Although by Derby winner Galileo, doubts were expressed over whether Frankel's staying power would be sufficient for the mile and a half trip of the Derby, and he did not take part in the race.