The One and Only Frankel

A name that most folk even remotely interested in horse racing will certainly have heard off given the amazing career that saw him go on an unbeaten 14 race streak is Frankel. Foaled on 11 February 2008 and named after the legendary American trainer Bobby Frankel, who died of leukaemia in November 2009,

Frankel made his racecourse debut as a two-year-old on 13 August in a one-mile maiden race at Newmarket on soft ground. Having broken quite slowly he was held up by jockey Tom Queally before making headway two furlongs out. He led inside the final furlong and ran on to win “readily” by half a length from John Gosden's future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Nathaniel.

A 13-length win in a Conditions Stakes at Newbury followed, before being stepped up to stakes company for the first time in the Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes. As he swept easily around the field to a 10 length victory, he first showed himself as something very special. Frankel finished his two-year-old season with his first Group 1 win, in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

Frankel proved himself by far the best three-year-old of his generation in 2011.

His four Group 1 victories that season included an incredible triumph in the 2000 Guineas – a performance described as “one of the greatest displays on a British racecourse” – and a powerful display in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on the inaugural QIPCO British Champions Day.

He remained in training as a four-year-old, winning his first race, the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, by 5L in May and followed up with an amazing performance in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes on the first day of Royal Ascot, beating a high class field by 11L after starting as one of the shortest-priced runners in the history of the Royal meeting. After this scintillating victory, Timeform awarded Frankel a rating of 147 – the highest mark ever given to a racehorse. It put Frankel ahead of Sea Bird II, Brigadier Gerard and Tudor Minstrel.

His third race of 2012 was the Gr.1 Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, where he became the first horse in history to win the race more than once. It was then on to the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York, where Frankel set the record for consecutive wins in European Group 1 races (eight in a row) and won his first race over 10 furlongs by an easy 7L. He also became the first horse in history to run to an official rating of 140 twice.

On his final career start he won the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot in thrilling style, defeating Cirrus Des Aigles and Nathaniel and equalling the world record for consecutive Group 1 wins.

His trainer Sir Henry Cecil described Frankel as “The best I have ever had, the best I have ever seen. I'd be very surprised if there's ever been anything better.”

He was thereafter retired to stand as a stallion at Banstead Manor Stud, the unbeaten winner of 14 races (including 10 Group 1s) and the highest rated horse in the world.

Frankel the Stallion

And there begins the next chapter of this amazing thoroughbred with a career at stud.

In 2021 Frankel became the first British-based sire crowned as Champion sire since Mill Reef 34 years ago and his offspring have already won 20 Group 1 races.

If we focus on the most recent 5 years, we find his offspring achieved the following results:

How about by the race code.

It is slightly surprising to see horses sired by Frankel running in National Hunt races but given the performance it is not of interest for us in this article.

The runners on the All-Weather also seem less fruitful so we will start digging into the Flat Turf runs of Frankel’s offspring.

There appears to be a sweet spot when Frankel’s offspring run over a distance that the great horse himself never ran.

A profit would have been made in the last 4 of the 5 years and some of the winners have gone off at some massive prices. A speculative punt maybe but possible a micro angle to have a bit of fun with!

System 81: Back Frankel’s progeny when running over 1m6f-1m6.5f

Regards

Steve C

Featured Image: RacingKel, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons