FRANKELIO
06 February 2015 Bay Gelding.
Frankel-Restiadargent
Owner-Forty Forty Twenty
Apart from seeing my own colours carried to victory, and the colours of my family and friends, the most exiting horse race I have ever witnessed was on August 22nd, 2012 when Frankel (in my opinion) the greatest race horse that ever lived won the Juddmonte International at York in a very comfortable manner, beating solid Group 1 performers, with perhaps the greatest racecourse performance of all time.
We are very lucky to have one of Frankel's offspring to train, and as soon as the flat turf season can return Frankelio will be ready to resume his career. He is probably the best bred horse in the yard being by Frankel out the Group 1 placed mare Restiadargent who was rated 117 at her peak.
Frankelio didn't race as a juvenile, but made up for lost time by finishing in the first three on all six occasions he ran in France for trainer Pascal Bary at three, earning a Racing Post Rating of 98. He made his debut for us as a four year old in May of last year at Chester, and from the impossible draw of stall 13 only went down by five lengths off a mark of 84. He went on to Wetherby, running freely, but only going under by three lengths. His other eye catching run was at Ascot in July under Becky Smith when he was beaten four lengths after travelling well throughout the race.
Many ex French horses take a while to acclimatise, so with that in mind, and the fact that many of Frankel's offspring improve with age, the added bonus that he is now a gelding, and that the handicapper has dropped him to a mark of 70, he could be one to follow when the flat season gets started.