Saturday, Jun 29, 2013
Frankel, who was foaled at Banstead Manor Stud on the outskirts of Newmarket, went on to gain worldwide attention by winning an incredible 14 races and seal his position as the highest rated racehorse in the world.
Now that life has come full circle for the horse, arguably one of the greatest we’ve been fortunate enough to have seen in action, most of us have high expectations and are looking forward to his new career as a stallion.
It’s great to know that Frankel has already proved his fertility with 12 of his first 15 mares covered already in foal. However, it will be a couple of years before we find out just how good his genes are when those yearlings make it to track.
It seems an unbearable wait, particularly for those who have been closely involved with the great equine athlete, but it’s a wait worth every minute.
Frankel’s story is remarkable. He was foaled out of an average Irish mare Kind, an eight-year-old whose biggest wins came at Listed level, but the genes he inherited from his sire the great Galileo, helped him to develop into the superstar that he was.
Experts felt that’s part of his gift for galloping came from his conformation - a long neck which lent itself to an even longer stride, more than what your average racehorse can achieve (much like Usain Bolt, who being 6ft 5in tall can take wider and this fewer steps than his smaller rivals).
Frankel would devour the ground as we saw him do so by posting an 11-length win over Excelebration in the Queen Anne. Add to that he had larger-than-normal nostrils which ensured that he could breathe in more air than his rivals, and was consequently less prone to fatigue. A great attribute if you happen to be an athlete.
What are the chances of his offspring inheriting any of these characteristics?
Only time will tell.
But perhaps, we have a fair indication.
The first mare Frankel covered was the six-time Group 1 winner Midday. But it was Chrysanthemum, a daughter of Danehill Dancer who was twice successful in Group 3 company, who saw him off the mark as a stallion.
He is expected to entertain an annual roster of over 120 mares at £125,000 (Dh698,400) a pop which means that he can generate more than £12m in his first year and well over £100m overall during his much-anticipated stud career.
While Cigar, the finest American racehorse of this generation and the inaugural winner of the Dubai World Cup, had failed to get a single mare into foal during his first season at stud, it appears that Frankel can make amends and keep thoroughbred racing’s strong bloodlines alive.
By Leslie Wilson Jr, Racing & Special Features Writer
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
