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In 14 racecourse appearances, the unbeaten Frankel proved a fitting tribute to the person he was named in memory of, legendary US trainer Bobby Frankel.
Photo by Pat Healy Photography
Bobby Frankel provided the champion's owner/breeder Khalid Abdulla with a host of big race victories in America until his death from cancer at the age of 68 in 2009.
Trained by Sir Henry Cecil, Frankel made an eye-catching winning debut when scoring in a mile maiden on Newmarket's July Course on August 13, 2010 when he beat subsequent dual Group One victor Nathaniel by half a length.
He built on that promising start when quickening clear of two rivals for a bloodless 13-length victory in a seven-furlong conditions race at Doncaster's St Leger meeting on September 10 that year.
The manner of his win saw Frankel propelled towards the head of the ante-post markets for both the 2011 QIPCO 2000 Guineas and the Investec Derby.
He then showed himself as a juvenile of uncommon ability with a stunning success in the G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile at Ascot on September 25. Not content with the sedate pace, Tom Queally took up the running entering the straight and Frankel accelerated away from the field with ease to gain an almost effortless 10-length triumph.
His trainer then suggested that Frankel was the finest juvenile to have passed through his hands since 2000 Guineas winner Wollow in 1975.
Frankel's final start of 2010 came at Newmarket on October 16 in the G1 Dewhurst Stakes. A strong line-up for the prestigious seven-furlong event also included dual G1 winner Dream Ahead and impressive G2 victor Saamidd.
Held up at the rear of the field, Frankel began to make smooth progress with three furlongs remaining and led before the furlong pole, defeating Roderic O'Connor by two and a quarter lengths in good style. The runner-up strongly endorsed the form when winning a G1 in France afterwards.
Frankel was the joint champion two-year-old in Europe on official ratings with Dream Ahead, rated 126 as well as being named the Two-Year-Old Colt of 2010 at the Cartier Racing Awards.
Frankel reappeared in 2011 in the seven-furlong G3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury on April 16, when he went to the front passing the three-furlong marker to record a comfortable four-length success over subsequent French G1 winner Excelebration.
He then started the shortest-priced favourite in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket since 1974. He galloped his opponents into submission in the mile Classic and was over 10 lengths clear before halfway, winning most impressively by six lengths from Dubawi Gold with the field strung out.
After this truly stunning performance, he headed to Royal Ascot for the G1 St James's Palace Stakes, also over a mile, on June 14 and extended his unbeaten run.
But the victory was not delivered in the manner expected by his legion of admirers. Tom Queally sent the colt to the lead with well over three furlongs remaining and Frankel was six lengths clear with a quarter of a mile to run.
After such an explosive mid-race burst however, his momentum decreased markedly inside the final furlong, allowing the fast closing Zoffany to get within three quarters of a length at the line.
Frankel then took on older rivals for the first time in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on July 27 last year, with his main opposition set to come from five-time G1 winner Canford Cliffs in a race billed as the 'Duel on the Downs'.
In reality the mile contest was distinctly one-sided as Frankel made the running before powering clear for an imperious five-length success.
Connections briefly toyed with the idea of stepping Frankel up to a mile and a quarter for either the Juddmonte International or the QIPCO British Champions Stakes, before deciding on the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot when he cruised to a four-length victory over Excelebration.
The World Thoroughbred Rankings for 2011 handed Frankel a rating of 136, 4lb clear of the outstanding Australian sprinter Black Caviar, making him officially the best horse in the world. He was also named Cartier Horse Of The Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt in 2011.
He began the current season at Newbury on May 19, when he sauntered to a facile five-length victory over his old rival Excelebration in the G1 Lockinge Stakes over a mile.
Despite that deficit being the biggest in four meetings with Excelebration, Sir Henry Cecil was expecting a sharper performance at Royal Ascot and the four-year-old did not disappoint. Frankel faced 10 rivals including Excelebration in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes over the straight mile and produced a performance of the very highest quality, routing the field for an emphatic 11-length victory.
In the aftermath of the performance, Timeform gave Frankel a rating of 147, the highest in the organisation's 64-year history, while the British Horseracing Authority increased Frankel's rating to 140, 1lb behind Khalid Abdulla's outstanding 1986 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Dancing Brave.
He achieved another first when capturing his second G1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood by six lengths on August 1.
Frankel then ran beyond a mile for the first time when contesting the G1 Juddmonte International over an extended 10 furlongs at York on August 22. The nine-strong field included a host of top-class performers including St Nicholas Abbey, Farhh and Twice Over, but Frankel treated them with complete disdain, cruising into the lead two furlongs out before striding clear for a seven-length victory.
The ease of his success persuaded connections to contemplate the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe over an extra furlong and a half but after a period of consideration, Frankel's target became the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot.
The 10-furlong showpiece was Frankel's final race before a career at stud and his win was a fitting finale to a career that saw him start favourite in all his races and, bar his debut, at odds-on.
Tom Queally rode Frankel every time he run.
The home bred son of Galileo is a three-parts brother to 2010 Lingfield Derby Trial winner Bullet Train, a five-year-old who acted as his pacemaker in many races, and a full-brother to three-year-old Noble Mission, winner of the G3 Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in 2012.
Race Record: Starts: 14; 1st: 14 2nd:-; 3rd:-; Prize Money: £2,998,302