Early season, and a Frankel-sire two-year-old makes his debut at Newmarket over 5f on good going.
The British Stallion Stud EBF Novice Stakes (GBB) Race Class 4 £5,154. Six horses ran, all debutantes, including hot favourite Hallasan (10/11f) trained by Charlie Appleby.
Paul & Oliver Cole sent out the winner, Arran, who won by a neck, from The Actor.
Bretton Wood, a son of Frankel, out of a talented mare, Pretty Pollyanna, finished a creditable 5th beaten 3 3/4L. Trained by James Owen, in the ownership of The Gredley Family, this bay colt, born on the 13th March 2022. The 16/1 shot, ridden by Neil Callan, will improve for a step up in distance.
Very few of Frankel's offspring are natural 5-furlong horses.
Looking at the Frankel offspring for this year's 2021 1000 Guineas. This Classic race takes place on the 2nd May on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.
It's a race that dates back to 1814. The first winner was named Charlotte, trained by Tom Perren, ridden by Tom Cliff, and in the ownership of Christoper Wilson.
In recent years, Aidan O'Brien has made this race his own winning four of the last five contests with some exceptionally thoroughbreds including Minding (2016), Winter (2017), Hermosa (2019) and last year saw Love win, ridden by Ryan Moore for owners Magnier, Tabor & Smith. This daughter of Galileo has won 6 of her 10 starts, 4 victories at Group 1 class and over £700,000 in total earning.
Many race fans will remember that a Frankel-sire filly competed in the 2020 1000 Guineas. Roger Charlton's Quadrilateral was sent off 11/4f. She had headed to Newmarket unbeaten in her three starts at two. She finished third behind Love, beaten four-and-a-half lengths.
So how will Frankel's offspring go this year's 1000 Guineas.
By all accounts, we are looking at limited stock, certainly numbers, as, at the time of writing, there are just two British-trained fillies earmarked for this second Classic of the season.
There are 63 entrants at this stage with a maximum of just 25 possible runners on the day. With no guarantee that any Frankel three-year-old fillies will make the big day, these candidates will need to put their best foot forward on the commencing of the new season. It's likely they will contest a Classic trail and decisions will be made.
This bay daughter of Frankel, out of a two-time winning mare, who was successful at Listed class.
Vesela disappointed on debut at Newmarket over 7f when a 11/2 shot, finishing tenth of fifteen and beaten over ten lengths.
Much better was seen second start when stepping up to one mile when winning by a head.
Clearly, there is much improvement needed to see his February foal be one of the leading lights and the odds of 50/1 suggest this too.
However, Beckett has earmarked the 1000 Guineas as the route for this winner and we will follow her progress this Flat turf season 2021.
The other filly, in my opinion, may have stronger claims.
Frankel Blog has mentioned this daughter of Frankel in one of our recent post. Snow Lantern is the daughter of Sky Lantern (pictured), similarly trained by Richard Hannon. The dam was an exceptional filly winning the 2013 1000 Guineas [the 200th running].
Snow Lantern is a grey filly, owned and bred by Rockcliffe Stud. Richard Hannon suggested she would go for a Guineas trial and head to the 1000 Guineas.
With a sole race under her belt, when finishing a creditable runner-up at Ascot, there is a lot of improvement needed but also to come.
The ante-post betting for the 1000 Guineas sees Snow Lantern priced 33/1 with bookmakers.
It would seem that Frankel has a limited number of quality three-year-olds racing over one mile. In fact, there are just two British-trained offspring of this exceptional racehorse and sire entered at this stage for the 2000 Guineas which is set to take place on the 1st May 2021.
The two-year-old season is underway and I didn't think it would take too long before a Frankel offspring reared its beautiful head. Remember, Frankel Blog is all about detailing the best Frankel offspring of 2020 but specific to two-year-olds (2yos). Anyway, we've already seen a very talented juvenile that didn't win on debut at Newmarket but showed ample ability and will be winning before long. Magical Land is a February foal and son of Frankel out a mare named Mistrutsting who raced just seven times in her race career, similarly owned and trained. She, too, was defeated on debut (Ascot, 2014), winning at Haydock on her second start when 1/3f. Interestingly, she only raced at pattern class on her last two starts when unplaced at Group 3 but prevailed on her final start in a Listed race. Magical Land is a home-bred who was made 11/10f when racing at headquarters on the 4th of June. This bay colt was expected to win but may have been foiled by circumstance rather than lack of ability. It looked as if there was a track bias that day at Newmarket and horses running on the rail and leading held, in my opinion, a distinct advantage. Magical Land was drawn in stall two and raced down the centre of the course. Slightly outpaced, he gathered stride and was making good headway over the last two-furlongs to lose by one-and-a-quarter lengths behind Bright Devil (pictured), trained by Andrew Balding. Time may tell that was a decent race, but, one thing we can be sure, is that Magical Land will improve for this debut and take a lot of beating next time out. Good luck to connections.
Now there's a question. Frankel Blog isn't scared to make a prediction. So far this season we have seen a number of very talented Frankel offspring. Many quality juveniles have led the way and maintain the highest standards of what can only be described as a stallion who has always broken records. This season we have detailed those up-and-coming two-year-olds from stables big and small. One trainer who has a wealth of Frankels is Sir Michael Stoute. In fact, the post detailing 10 Frankel 2yos for him this 2019 has been one of our most popular. It's had almost 500 pageview, which for a little blog like ours is good going. If you search the internet and keywords regarding Frankel you will notice we are top-ranked for many. Anyway, enough about all that stuff. We had best get back to our prediction about the best of Frankel's two-year-old filly to be seen this 2019 Flat turf season. It will come as no surprise to see that our prediction is trained by Sir Michael Stoute in the ownership of Cheveley Park Stud. This beautifully-bred chestnut Frankel filly (a homebred) is out of a winning mare similarly owned and trained called Safina. The filly in question is called Melnikova. Readers may have noticed this flying filly made a winning debut at Kempton back in early August (5th August). It is memorable, not only for the win but the fact that Sir Michael Stoute had two Frankel fillies contesting the same race on debut with Tanita (the shorter in the betting of the two horses priced 9/2) looking like the winner until Melnikova pounced late as she gathered her stride, leading in the final few yards to win from Stylistique (trained by Roger Varian) by a neck from Tanita a further head behind. Melnikova was backed from 10/1 returning 8/1, to take the win prize money of £5,822.10 (Plus 10 Race). James Doyle rode a great race with the filly taking the 7f the Matchbook/British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes without realising she had a race. Make no mistake, this is one of the best, if not the best, two-year-old at Freemason Lodge Stables. She has been entered for four high-class races including the bet365 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket to take place on 11th October 3:35 (Newmarket, Rowley Mile). This contest has a winning prize of £283,550. Melnikova may be seen running her second race on the 6th of September. This Class 3 7f Novice Stakes takes place at Kempton. At the time of writing, 31 fillies have been declared. You can take a look at the declaration here to see if she makes the final line up. In addition to the Fillies Mile (Group 1), she has received entries for: Saturday, 7th September 3:00 Haydock - Ascendant Stakes (Listed Race) 1-mile. Friday, 27th September at Newmarket 3:00 Shadwell Rockfell Stakes (Group 2) 7f.
Looking forward to Newmarket this Saturday. Plenty of horse racing fans will be anticipating the Darley July Cup Stakes (Group 1), which is part of the British Champions Series. Martyn Meade's Advertise is priced 11/4f for a winner's prize of £285,550. For two-year-old racing enthusiasts, the bet365 Superlative Stakes (Group 2) will be something to savour. This Class 1 race has a rich heritage. Taking place on the July Course at Newmarket over 7f. Formerly known as the Bernard van Custom Stakes, named after a successful racehorse breeder and trainer who died in 1975. He trained many talented horses including High Top who won the 2,000 Guineas in 1972. The race was named the Superlative Stakes in 1991. It honours Superlative, the winner of the July Stakes in 1983. Originally holding Listed status this race was upgraded to Group 3 in 2003, then to its present lofty standing in 2006. The Superlative Stakes saw jockeys Steve Cauthen and Pat Eddery win the race fours times (since 1986). Sir Henry Cecil made this race his own with 9 wins spanning 1986 - 2000. Probably the best of the lot Be My Chief, who won in 1989. He went on to win the Racing Post Trophy in the same year. A number of exceptional horses have won this race before going on to prove star performers. In 2004, Dubai won for Saeed bin Suroor, ridden by Frankie Dettori. He went on to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas. The greatest success of them all being Olympic Glory in 2012, trained by Richard Hannon Jr. and ridden by Richard Hughes. Awarded equal top-rated British two-year-old 2012 and World top-rated three-year-old colt 2013. Last year saw Charlie Appleby's Quorto win ''very readily'' by over three lengths, ridden by William Buick. Quorto went on the finish his two-year-old season with a hattrick of wins when tasting victory at the Curragh in the National Stakes (Group 1). This year's race is all the more intriguing for Frankel Blog with not one but two Frankel-sired two-year-olds declared to run. Kevin Ryan's Juan Eclano hasn't been seen for over a month since winning on debut at Haydock by a neck when starting 6/4f. This chestnut son of Frankel is priced 8/1. Mark Johnston has *Fred who proved a disappointment on debut when made favourite but finished last. However, this small son of Frankel proved that initial support wasn't misjudged when he led all the way at Leicester to hold on by an outstretched nose. Charlie Appleby fields King's Command for Godolphin who is 5/2f. *Just eight runners with Fred being omitted at the final declaration stage. The Superlative Stakes (group 2) takes place on Saturday 13th July, 2:55 Newmarket on the July Course over 7f. Good luck to all connections.
Very few Frankel two-year-olds have hit the heights this season. In fact, generally, numbers of runners seem sparse. Taking a look at the declarations, I see two offspring are still entered for the Fillies' Mile (Group 1) to take place at Newmarket 12th October. At present, there is still 23 entrants, with a maximum of just twenty to take place on the day. The number to race is likely to be a lot less. Frankellina (William Haggas) This chestnut daughter of Frankel is out of a three-time winning mare, who only run four times in her full career. She concluded her victories with a Listed race success. Frankellina is a January foal and homebred in the familiar silks of A E Oppenheimer. She is unraced and priced 40/1 to win this contest over one mile. Dubai Beauty (Saeed bin Suroor) A lovely winning performance for this daughter of Frankel who showed real class over 7f at Newmarket priced 3/1. The sky looked the limit for this bay filly when returning to Doncaster and contesting the May Hill Stakes (Group 2). She was very well backed from 7-4 - 11-8f. However, this homebred struggled and finished seventh beaten ten lengths. It was interesting that the first four home were all big prices which suggest the favourite were below par. Saeed bin Suroor has done much better this season than last but a success in such a high-profile race would be a real feather in his cap after a few lean years. Dubai Beauty (pictured) is priced 14-1 and one of three juveniles still holding declarations for Godolphin (the other two for Charlie Appleby).
Just a quick update. The Earl of Sefton Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) for 4yo+. At the time of writing, there are nine entrants for this race over 1m 1f on the Rowley Mile. The going is described as good to soft. Aidan O'Brien trains the tissue priced favourite in Deauville, racing in the familiar silk of Mrs Fitri Hay. The sole representative of Frankel is Frankuus, trained by Mark Johnston. Frankie Dettori is booked to ride the 8/1 shot. Readers may remember this grey colt won on debut. His most noted performance at two was winning at Group 3 when racing at Chantilly, France. Of his eight races at three, a Group 3 victory at Haydock when beating Mount Logan by less than one length. His last two performances at three where somewhat disappointing.
