Frankel, again!

[Glimmerglass]

Your man has his entire dance card filled … for three years!

Telegraph FEB 4, 2013 “Fully booked for years, Frankel’s potency put to the test”

The breeding season runs from February 14 to July 14, during which Frankel will cover around 135 mares - 35 of which will be Prince Khalid’s own horses, the rest visiting from around the world. If a stallion stays healthy, he can breed up to the age of around 20.

“Frankel is fully booked for the next three years,” said Lord Grimthorpe. “Hopefully he has at least another 15 years in him.”

Oh and that intense diet of Canadian oats is done.

At the peak of his racing career, his exercise regime consisted of a full pace gallop twice a week and a steady canter on another two days.

Now, Frankel, who stands at just over 16 hands high, is no longer ridden, but led at a gentle walk for up to seven miles a day around the bucolic splendour of Banstead.

His diet has also changed from 23lbs of oats a day - the equivalent of 600 Weetabix which provided the high octane fuel he needed to race - to a lower-protein diet including a combination of oats and stallion mix, which includes molasses, maize and peas.

[2tempe]

The person who leads him on the gentle daily walk is going to be awfully fit after a while…That’s 3+hours of walking!!!

[Glimmerglass]

Another full brother to Frankel was born last week - SportingLife Feb 7, 2013 - "… born on Saturday at Banstead Manor Stud, Juddmonte has announced.

The chestnut colt, by top stallion Galileo out of Kind, was described by stud manager Simon Mockridge as “attractive with size and scope”.

Kind’s first three foals to race have all been Group winners and she currently has three of her offspring in training with Sir Henry Cecil.

They are another full brother to Frankel, the Group Three winner Noble Mission, and two half-siblings by Oasis Dream - the three-year-old colt Morpheus and an unnamed two-year-old filly.

[Simkie]

[QUOTE=2tempe;6816018]
The person who leads him on the gentle daily walk is going to be awfully fit after a while…That’s 3+hours of walking!!![/QUOTE]

Seven miles? I can do seven miles in perhaps and hour and a half, or a little less. Taking three hours or more to walk seven miles would be strolling leisurely and allow for much hand grazing…

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Simkie;6822623]
Seven miles? I can do seven miles in perhaps and hour and a half, or a little less. Taking three hours or more to walk seven miles would be strolling leisurely and allow for much hand grazing…[/QUOTE]

And we have now video of the strolling with Frankel!

Video (youtube) Feb 13, 2013 - “Frankel joins the rest of the Banstead Manor stallions for some winter exercise”

In case you’re wondering where the stable is - here it is on Bing’s Map with a bird’s eye view

No heavy blanket for the studs when getting their exercise in the yard.

[Beverley]

I wonder why they have decided to no longer ride him- as I recall Seattle Slew was ridden regularly most, if not all, of his life. I know it is not ‘standard’ for studs but if he needs a 7 mile walk, heck, let the exerciser ride!

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Beverley;6835253]
I wonder why they have decided to no longer ride him- as I recall Seattle Slew was ridden regularly most, if not all, of his life. I know it is not ‘standard’ for studs but if he needs a 7 mile walk, heck, let the exerciser ride![/QUOTE]

Just guessing here, but walking is likely more calming and insurance requirements must be a factor as well. With that snow (and likely ice) I don’t think putting up anyone aboard for a simple hack isn’t without far more risks than walking. I’m sure the lads are quite happy doing the walk each day with these guys.

[Glimmerglass]

By the way tomorrow - Valentines Day - kicks off his first day of stud duty

Per this BBC Sport article (Feb 11) he’s added weight

By the look of him, he is thriving too, under the care of Rob Bowley, who describes it as an “honour and a privilege” to look after the world’s most sought-after stallion.

“He’s doing well,” he said. “When he arrived, he was 550 kilos, and last time we weighed him he was 583, so he’s put on a substantial amount.”

Standing back for a moment to admire the physique of his new charge, Bowley, who walks him seven miles every day, added: "He enjoys his food, and he’s got the frame, and he’s putting it on in all the right places, his quarters and his flanks.

“You get a lot of horses who put a lot of weight on all at once, and they tend to put it round their belly and they just look fat, but everything about him is a lovely horse.”

As for the applications to have him as a sire it’s all very selective as you can assume:

Philip Mitchell, Juddmonte’s general manager, and a key figure in the operation for 25 years, has been sifting through all the applications.

He told me: "He would have the best book of mares any first-season stallion has ever received.

"A lot of the mares are for owner/breeders who will race their progeny. We want to try not to have too many going to the sales-ring to ensure a level of exclusivity.

“There have been about 250 applications, 60 for Group One race-winning mares, or mares which have produced a Group One winner, so the bar is pretty high.”

[RedMare01]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6835234]
And we have now video of the strolling with Frankel!

Video (youtube) Feb 13, 2013 - “Frankel joins the rest of the Banstead Manor stallions for some winter exercise”

In case you’re wondering where the stable is - here it is on Bing’s Map with a bird’s eye view

No heavy blanket for the studs when getting their exercise in the yard.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! Love the video. :yes:

[summerly]

I would love to see that whole line up walking down my drive and right into my barn! Ugh to dream!

[SEPowell]

And now Frankel has a full brother

http://www.drf.com/news/frankels-full-brother-born-england

[Pallas]

Great video. interesting that they are exercised in bridle with surcingle. My own OTTB is markedly more contained and focused when tacked up, as if settling down in his desk chair. I’m guessing that’s the reason?

[2tempe]

[QUOTE=Simkie;6822623]
Seven miles? I can do seven miles in perhaps and hour and a half, or a little less. Taking three hours or more to walk seven miles would be strolling leisurely and allow for much hand grazing…[/QUOTE]

OK, I confess my math was a bit off…lol! Not sure where I got that; I’ll go w/ 2 hours, they don’t look like they are going all that fast in the video!
How cool to see them all out strolling around.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=SEPowell;6835444]
And now Frankel has a full brother

http://www.drf.com/news/frankels-full-brother-born-england[/QUOTE]

Just to be clear - Frankel already has had a full brother. He’s already gone to the track and with success as a Group 3 winner Noble Mission.

[Glimmerglass]

One of the biggest purchases of a Frankel covered mare: John Ferguson, bloodstock advisor for Sheikh Mohammed, paid 4million guineas for Dancing Rain at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in Newmarket on Monday - November 3rd 2013 - evening.

4 million guineas is £4.2m is $6.9 million USD (approx). It was not quite a record for an English sale. That goes to Magical Romance who went for £4.83m in 2006.

The five-year-old mare, winner of the Epsom and German Oaks when trained by William Haggas, is in foal to Frankel.

Dancing Rain, a daughter of Danehill Dancer, was a renowned front-runner on the Flat and also claimed the British Champions Fillies’ And Mares’ Stakes at Ascot in 2011.

Ferguson said: "This game is all about reducing the odds, and for us to get the greatest chance of producing a Classic winner, buying Dancing Rain reduces the odds.

“You can have lots of mares, but you need jewels - Sheikh Mohammed felt that she’s a jewel.”

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Frankel’s first foal was born on Saturday at Coolmore stud. A bay colt, out of the dual G3 winner and G1 placed mare Chrysanthemum
http://bloodstock.racingpost.com/news/bloodstock/frankels-first-foal-arrives-at-coolmore/1593043/top/

A bit odd that they waited four days to announce it… and even odder there are no pictures out yet!

[Equibrit]

Maybe they were busy with St Nicholas Abbey. 126 more foals to come !

[Equibrit]

[URL=“http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/frankels-first-filly-born-newmarket-pictures/”]http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/frankels-first-filly-born-newmarket-pictures/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/racing/article-2543411/Superstar-sire-Frankel-produces-filly-National-Stud.html

[axl]

It would be neat if they could name the colt Cecil, as he was born on Lord Cecil’s birthday and it would work with the sire’s name perfectly. That’s the first baby, not the pretty filly in the pictures.