Frankel set for farewell after fourteenth start
Roar Guru 
Frankel shows he is the world's best at Royal Ascot (AFP)
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On Sunday morning, Australian time, the horse racing industry will farewell a legend of racing as Frankel attempts a fourteenth straight victory in the G1 Champion Stakes at Royal Ascot before retiring to stud.
Rated by Timeform as the greatest horse since the inception of ratings, Frankel is genuinely a once in a lifetime horse who is understated by the word ‘champion’.
He is outright legendary and arguably the greatest race horse the world has ever seen.
Trained by Sir Henry Cecil, the British 4yo is unbeaten from 13 starts which have included nine G1 victories to amass over £2.2 million in prize money.
By Galileo, Frankel’s pedigree features champion sire’s Danehill, Sadler’s Wells, Rainbow Quest and Northern Dancer to be one of the most perfectly bred racehorses.
To have succeeded at the pinnacle of racing in an era which has been headlined by the names of Makybe Diva, Goldikova, Zenyatta and Black Caviar, Frankel has proved a class above them all.
Gifted with the ability to run anywhere between 1200m to 2000m, Frankel has continually beaten Europe’s best with ease.
On that summer afternoon at Royal Ascot during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, all eyes were on champion mare Black Caviar, but Frankel stole the show.
Effortlessly, his victory in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes dropped the jaws of audiences as he passed the finishing post 11 lengths ahead of Excelebration, rated the second-best miler in Europe.
In his last five starts, all G1’s, Frankel’s average winning margin is 7.6 lengths and the quality of opposition has been of the highest quality.
Champion races horses will always find ways to win, but legendary ones find ways to dominate.
His G1 victories include wins in the Dewhurst Stakes (2yo’s, 1408m), 2000 Guineas (3yo’s, 1609m), St James’s Palace Stakes (3yo’s, 1609m), Sussex Stakes (twice, WFA, 1609m), Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (WFA, 1609m), Lockinge Stakes (WFA, 1609m), Queen Anne Stakes (WFA, 1609m) and International Stakes (WFA, 2092m).
Frankel is now estimated to be worth over £100 million and by retiring as a 4yo; he will have a lengthy stud career to enjoy in the paddocks.
On Saturday, Sir Henry Cecil saddles him up for the final time when he enters the G1 Champion Stakes (WFA, 2,012m) as the firm favourite.
He will be taking on Nathaniel, French superstar and last year’s winner Cirrus Des Aigles, German champion Pastorius and Godolphin trained Farhh as the noteworthy competition in the field.
Although Frankel never won outside of Europe, those who came to him all lost. Questions over Frankel’s unknown potential will be left to imagination.
Would he have succeeded overseas? Could he have run beyond 2000m? Why didn’t he run in the Arc? Would he have beaten Secretariat or Pharlap?
As this chapter closes on Frankel’s racing career, these questions will be debated for years to come. To have been alive and see him dominating the Northern Hemisphere while Black Caviar adorned the hearts of Australians was an absolute privilege which generations to come will only dream of.
The Champion Stakes will be run on Sunday morning at 2am AEST.
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The Crowd Says (13) | Page 1 of Comments
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October 18th 2012 @ 10:06am
johnny nevin is a legend said | October 18th 2012 @ 10:06am | Report comment
I think we’ll be left wondering of how much this horse could have been extended. I believe after the Lockinge back in May connections should have stepped him up to 2000m in his next appearance, possibly the Prince of Wales Stakes at Ascot. He has ran far too often this season at a mile against inferior opposition. It would have been good to see him at 2400m in the King George or the Arc. I also believe that this race will be Frankels biggest challenge since he beat Canford Cliffs last year. Cirrus Des Aigles will be the best horse he has ever come up against.
October 18th 2012 @ 12:00pm
Alfred Chan said | October 18th 2012 @ 12:00pm | Report comment
Considering the Galileo blood, I’m pretty certain Frankel would be able to handle 2400m. When a horse can step up from winning 1600m by 7 lengths to winning 2000m by 6 lengths, it’s a pretty good indicator that he’s still got that mighty turn of foot over the longer distances. That, and he always has his handy pace maker to quicken or slow the tempo when needed. I still think he would have won the Arc this year had he been entered. The biggest problem was they had never planned on entering the Arc so they waited too late to step him up to 2000m and by then they thought it was too late to go to 2400m.
October 19th 2012 @ 10:48am
Andrew C (waikato) said | October 19th 2012 @ 10:48am | Report comment
Alfred, They were CHICKEN to take the l’Arc route. 2400m would’ve been a bridge too far. Whilst his dam KIND ranks as a close relation in blood to Irish Derby winner DESERT KING (sire of Makybe Diva) & Maroof, 12 furlongs would be too far even though GALILEO is a Derby winner & his mother Urban Sea a l’Arc winner herself…………. bit paradoxical, I realise……………….. take the reverse scenario – we have Gai’s up&comer PROISIR (by Champion Sprinter CHOISIR out of a damline that traces to the most classic (NZ) families in Australasia – that of SUNBRIDE)………. in MY opinion, Proisir is a HUGE chance to knock off next weekend’s COX PLATE (and he’s by a SPEED sire , BUT so was KINGSTON TOWN !!!)
October 18th 2012 @ 1:45pm
Andrew C (waikato) said | October 18th 2012 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
You say >> “Although Frankel never won outside of Europe, those who came to him all lost. Questions over Frankel’s unknown potential will be left to imagination.
Would he have succeeded overseas? Could he have run beyond 2000m? Why didn’t he run in the Arc? Would he have beaten Secretariat or Pharlap?”
Well, I say he NEVER left ENGLAND, never raced in Ireland, nor Europe (France) nor in the USA, nor the World Cup meet @ Dubai …….(he’s a homey…. homeboy – still @ home ) sure he’s unbeaten and won 9 x Group 1s , but there was the nagging doubt as to WHO & WHAT he beat……… and the CLASS of the opposition
……… IF he had got to Longchamp and won the l’Arc over 2400m, then there would be less doubt than there is NOW. I’ve never seen MILL REEF but, besides having read all about his exploits in various books and the strength/Class of his opponents PLUS having quizzed and consulted with various acquaintances that saw MILL REEF race (against the likes of Brigadier Gerard) , it is my opinion that MILL REEF is GREATER than FRANKEL………… cheers
October 18th 2012 @ 2:25pm
Captain Sensible said | October 18th 2012 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
You certainly make many fair points Andrew C. For me, it’s unquestionable Frankel is a great champion however his connections can never get upset about people not putting him in the pantheon of all time greats. Is he even a European all time great ? He never competed in the very best races. No Derby, no Arc, no Dubai World Cup, no Breeders Cup. In my opinion, the connections of Frankel never allowed him to be an all time great. I have nothing but admiration for the horse but he’s been looked after too much and never been fully tested out of his comfort zone. What was the point in racing him on at 4yo to virtually compete against the same horses in the many of the same races that he did at 3yo. He’s racing in his biggest race at his last start. If he were beaten he will be remembered as the horse who was a bully against the milers but just another quality middle distance horse and that’s a shame for the horse as he’s better than that.
October 18th 2012 @ 11:46pm
peeeko said | October 18th 2012 @ 11:46pm | Report comment
i guess it goers hand in hand with being unbeaten and retaining stud value much like BC ( yes i know its a mare). Both horses are briliant and up there
amongst best ever. unfortunately BC has only raced over 1400m once and never been to HK to compete against the best as well as Frankel competing over longer distances.
October 19th 2012 @ 10:31am
Andrew C (waikato) said | October 19th 2012 @ 10:31am | Report comment
Hi Capt Sensible, some astute (sensible
) observations that you make. FRANKEL is a Champion Miler of England (in which he won 9 x Grp 1s) …………….. and will POSSIBLY add another Grp 1 notch to his belt – It could be said that Brigadier Gerard was better than even Frankel…………..HOWEVER, NOW he is racing against one particular hardened Grp One criminal in Cirrus des Aigles – even though the 10 furlongs would suit Frankel (not one inch further, though 
) . I might just take a 2 x Leg multi bet on the All Blacks to beat the Wannabes by 31pts ($5) & Cirrus to DO Frankel by a snout.
October 19th 2012 @ 11:16am
johnny nevin is a legend said | October 19th 2012 @ 11:16am | Report comment
The speed that Frankel showed in the 2000 guineas last year meant that connections would never had run him at 2400m in the Derby. I’d be more inclined to judge Frankels record on the quality of horses he met rather than actual races he ran. Frankel has achieved his greatness so far through 3 races, last years 2000 guineas, last years Sussex against Canford Cliff and the this years 11 lenght victory at Royal Ascot. But I agree with you regarding taking the horse out of his comfort zone sooner, I would have liked to seen against So You Think at Royal Acsot and against Snow Fairy in Irish Champion stakes but Cecil has his route set out for the horse and stuck by it.
October 19th 2012 @ 11:00am
johnny nevin is a legend said | October 19th 2012 @ 11:00am | Report comment
While there is no doubt we would have all liked to see this horse run at 2400m his connections had his plan mapped out early in the year so its probably a bit self indulgent questioning a master trainer like Henry Cecil. Theres no questioning the class of Canford Cliffs (the best European miler since the Rock of Gibraltor) who Frankel smashed by 5 lenghts, theres no questioning the quality of Nathaniel who Frankel defeated as a 2 year old. While Frankel has never run abroad his form his international, didn’t he not trash Caufiled Guineas winner Helmet at Royal Ascot?
October 18th 2012 @ 9:35pm
Bondy. said | October 18th 2012 @ 9:35pm | Report comment
Nice write up Alfred, its strange with the mileage or furlong markings over there 1609 metres,1408,2092. That card the ” QE2 Stks Day” is on tvn 11.00pm Sat.
Good luck to Frankel and the hoop Queally.
October 19th 2012 @ 10:37am
Andrew C (waikato) said | October 19th 2012 @ 10:37am | Report comment
Hey Bondy, I think Alfred has converted the furlongs to METRES so as to help you Orstralians !!!
……….. however, England, Ireland & the USA , Canada all STILL race over the IMPERIAL distances , whereas the Frogs (French) use meterication. ………… just to confuse you further, Bondy 
October 22nd 2012 @ 12:36pm
ryan said | October 22nd 2012 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
Frankel’s the best i’ve seen.
November 2nd 2012 @ 1:32am
Bill said | November 2nd 2012 @ 1:32am | Report comment
I have to laugh when I read nonsense which states that Frankel has met only inferior opposition. Well, of course he has – all opposition, no matter how good, is by definition, inferior to Frankel. That is a given. Cirrus Des Aigles is a ten furlong / soft ground specialist : and on his favoured ground the French gelding has romped home against very good opposition – and by many, many lengths. Frankel does not show his true brilliance on soft ground, yet here he was taking on the second highest rated racehorse in the world, in a Group 1 European championship race, over a course and distance in which ground conditions were very much against him – and yet he still won with some authority. Frankel has defeated over twenty group 1 winning horses during his career. He has nothing to prove. A truly great, great racehorse.