The Australian breeding industry has been sent in to a frenzy following Juddmonte Farm’s recent announcement that their unbeaten champion Frankel would be made available to a select group of mares to Southern Hemisphere time this September. In his first season as a stallion, Frankel will serve the cream of the world’s racing crop, and with Arc de Triomphe winner Danedream already confirmed in foal, Frankel is again being chased by a field of group one winners.
Frankel rewrote the record books in his unbeaten 14-start career, with his dominance showcased in an 11-length romp in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last June. He received a timeform rating of 147 following that performance, the highest rating given to a horse in its 65-year existence.
As such, a meeting with the son of Galileo does not come cheap. Frankel will serve a select group of mares to Southern Hemisphere time at Banstead Manor Farm, near Newmarket, for a fee of £125,000 ($184,750AUD).The covering fee will be non-refundable at 45 days gestation, and those travelling will be eligible to receive a maximum amount of £10,000 ($14,780AUD) towards travelling, boarding and other ancillary costs. Applications are open until the end of May for breeders and there has already been an overwhelming response from Australian Breeders.
Prominent owner John Singleton has secured contracts for two of his stable stars, with multiple group one winner More Joyous and the group two winning More Strawberries set for a date with Frankel upon retirement. While a date for More Joyous hinges on her form throughout the Sydney Easter Carnival, More Strawberries has a confirmed meeting this season and will be retired after one run in the Brisbane winter carnival.
Duncan Grimley, manager of Singleton’s Strawberry Hills Stud recently confirmed the post-race life arrangements for the pair.
“We have the contracts and if More Joyous is retired she will go,” Grimley said. “That still has to be decided but she has a booking. She will definitely go to Frankel the first year she goes to stud. There is not another first-season stallion in the world you would want to go to and we want to breed the best with the best.”
With Black Caviar’s connections also in direct contact with Juddmonte Farm, Australia’s two champion mares could be set to showcase the best that Australian breeding has to offer in an international farewell at Royal Ascot before their final date with destiny. Black Caviar’s expected target is the 1000m King’s Stand Stakes, where she will aim to join Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti and Scenic Blast as Australian raiders to win the group one race. With the mare in career best form, a return to Ascot to finally show the world her best looms as a tantalising finale to an incredible career.
No decision has been made whether More Joyous will race at Ascot as of yet, however the Golden Jubilee Stakes and the Queen Anne stakes, the race Frankel took out at his final race start both appear lucrative options.
