A Name With Significance
Prince Khalid Abdulla handed Frankel a significant burden when he named him after the legendary American Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel. He won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer on five occasions and set the record for the most Group/Grade 1 victories in a single season. A record which still stands today at 25. The man was a legend and it seemed impossible that the equine Frankel could live up to the achievements of his late human namesake.
Race 1 - European Breeders' Fund Maiden Stakes (1m)
No Ordinary Maiden - Result
The story began on one very wet Newmarket evening in August. At 6.25 a horse trained by Sir Henry Cecil and ridden by Tom Queally began his racing career. His potential was well known. Even Cecil himself, unpractised in the art of ‘hype’, commented that his charge "could be above average". The bookies were not taking any chances and he started as the well backed 7/4 favourite and won well. In atrocious conditions he travelled very strongly until the furlong marker before being asked to quicken. The half length margin did not do the performance justice for he was comfortably on top at the line. And little did we know that the horses in behind were far more than mere Maidens. In second was non other than Group 1 King George winner and Arc contender Nathaniel, and a further 5 lengths back in 3rd was Group 3 Sandown Classic Trial winner Genius Beast. It was undoubtedly a hot Maiden, but only with the benefit of hindsight is it possible to establish just how good. It has even been suggested that it was the best Maiden ever. In his customary understated style, Sir Henry confirmed himself pleased with his debut performance and stated "potentially he could be very nice".
Race 2 - Frank Whittle Partnership Conditions Stakes (7f)
Demolition At Doncaster - Result
It was not until his performance on his second racecourse outing that he really began to show what he might be capable of. The gallop reports remained positive and the evidence on the track likewise. A conditions race at Doncaster resulted in a 13 length win in a canter and a very good speed figure. For those who had missed his debut, this exhibition firmly highlighted him as a future star. The opposition might not have been up to much but he absolutely destroyed them, and hard on the bridle too. It was a thrilling display and confirmed the whispers surrounding the horse that he could be something very special. Stewart Machin, the At The Races commentator, was moved to say "he might just have a touch of star quality about him". The one person who refused to be drawn into superlatives was Cecil, preferring to let his horse do the talking on the racetrack.
Race 3 - Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes, Group 2 (1m)
Group Company - Result
His next stop was Ascot, and his first foray into Group company in the Group 2 Royal Lodge, sponsored by Juddmonte, the breeding operation of his owner Prince Khalid Abdulla. The opposition appeared decent on paper, and would prove to be much better than he made them look. He travelled sweetly in rear before being asked to quicken when leaving the back straight. His turn of foot round the home turn was scintillating. He left useful horses trailing in his wake in a matter of strides. Those left well behind included Epsom Derby runner up and Irish Derby winner Treasue Beach, and Klammer who had won a Listed race in France on his previous start and would go on to win the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes next time out. Simon Holt stated in commentary that "this could be a very good horse" and, in typically modest fashion, the Racing Post comments in running described him as “very impressive”. Again the time was fast, but the manner of his victory was emphatic. The horse was beginning to live up to the hype. Even Sir Henry was beginning to be drawn on comparisons to his great 2yo from 1975 Wollow. It was confirmed the he would follow in Wollow's footsteps with his final juvenile start in the Dewhurst.
The Opposition - Dream Ahead and Saamidd
Whilst Frankel had been showing everyone what he was capable of at Ascot, Dream Ahead was in the process of racking up a double of Group 1 wins to add to his impressive maiden success. He won the Prix Morny in France, but his performance in the Middle Park back at Newmarket confirmed himself a worthy challenger to the champion 2yo Crown that many had already placed on the head of Frankel. On official ratings the David Simcock trained Dream Ahead was rated superior to the mighty Frankel. Whilst the official handicappers had their own view on affairs, the racing public had already decided that Frankel was their 'chosen one'. Cecil's unusual confidence and his devastating displays meant many had already decided that he could not be beaten in the Dewhurst. Meanwhile, Saamidd had cruised to success on two occasions. The first in a decent Newbury Maiden in good style, and the second in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes, again showing an electric turn of foot. Frankie Dettori had revealed in his post race interview that he was nicknamed ‘Pegasus’ at Godolphin. It seemed inconceivable that there could be three such promising colts in the same year, and all heading to the same race, the Dewhurst at Newmarket. And so the stage was set for the ‘2yo race of the century’.
Race 4 - Dubai Dewhurst Stakes, Group 1 (7f)
Crowning Of A Champion - Result
The Dewhurst was not a race to be missed and I travelled to Newmarket with great excitement and anticipation. The supposed highlight, the Champions' Stakes, was lost in a blur of eagerness at the clash of three seemingly top class juveniles. On official ratings Dream Ahead was 5lbs clear on 128, to Frankel's 123, with Saamidd rated 115. Timeform rated Dream Ahead 1lb clear of Frankel on 130 and 129 respectively. But the bookmakers, the punters, and Frankel's growing army of supporters paid little heed to the views of the professional handicappers. There was no doubt who they thought was best and that was Sir Henry's charge. Once more he started at odds-on as he was backed into 4/6, with Dream Ahead a 5/2 chance and Saamidd at 7/1. With so much anticipation the race itself was an inevitable disappointment. Dream Ahead and Saamidd filled the second last and last respectively with the proximity of the Middle Park and Dewhurst blamed for Dream Ahead's flop, and the softening ground conditions for Saamidd's disappointment. But for Frankel, it was a triumph filled with promise and expectation. Circumstances did their best to conspire against him. A hefty bump on leaving the stalls had set the fiery colt alight, and he took a fierce hold throughout. As they approached the 2f pole Queally finally gave the long-striding colt his head. The response was instant as he bounded to the lead to a roar of approval from the expectant Grandstand. But as he surged to a comfortable victory there was more than a tinge of anticlimax. It was not the devastating performance we had been hoping for, as his hard pulling took its inevitable toll in the closing stages. Sir Henry also suggested that a break would benefit his magnificent colt. Nevertheless he had good horses well beaten in behind. Dream Ahead is now a 4 time Group 1 winner and Roderic O'Connor would go on to win the Irish 2000 Guineas. It was a performance that raised questions, as well as giving answers. But one answer was resounding, that Frankel was best. For his followers the dream lived on. The long winter months would be filled with anticipation for his reappearance in the spring. So often the 2yo Champions flatter at 2 to deceive at 3 but it was hoped that Frankel would buck that trend. But nobody would know what Frankel would produce until he reappeared in the spring. The Frankel dream lived on, but for Saamidd and Dream Ahead, their unbeaten records lay in tatters. For their connections it was a question of picking up the pieces. The winter would be spent rebuilding, and painfully lacking in the dreams that Frankel's fans would enjoy.
A Joint Champion?!
To the surprise and astonishment of much of the racing public, Frankel and Dream Ahead were jointly awarded the title of Champion 2yo. Both ended the season rated 126, but the bookmakers odds for the first Classic of the year told a different story; Frankel was a very warm favourite, with Dream Ahead a 14/1 chance. Once again, the views of the official handicappers and the wider racing public were poles apart. It seemed clear to all that Frankel had confirmed his superiority in the Dewhurst but it was Dream Ahead's Middle Park success that was afforded the title of best performance by a 2yo. So, whilst everybody else discussed whether Frankel was the best 2yo ever, the official ratings didn't even have him as the outright best 2yo of the year. On Racing Post Ratings he was rated the best 2yo of the 21st Century, and 3rd of all time, behind only Arazi and Celtic Swing. But the ratings mattered little because it would be his achievements at 3 that would define whether he was a great horse or not. Nearly everybody hoped, and many believed that he was. It was now up to the horse to prove them right or wrong.
No comments:
Post a Comment