Letter to the Editor: A Tale of Two Frankels

[Wandering Eyes]

I think we can all agree that Juddmonte both know what they are doing and have an eye on the bottom line.

Last year they had two Group 1-winning Frankel colts with stud potential. Both have similar profile dam-lines and both are good-looking colts. One was rated seven pounds superior to the other.

You can't get in to the winner of the less-than-vintage renewal of the 2,000 Guineas, the 119-rated Chaldean, at Banstead Manor, meanwhile the 126-rated Irish Derby winner Westover was quietly shuffled off to Japan without a whimper of protest, and I would suspect at a fraction of the price Prix du Jockey Club winner and his Arc conqueror Ace Impact is being syndicated for in France.

Juddmonte know they would hardly get a Flat mare to Westover and certainly not at £25,000 because he is a 12-furlong horse and Flat breeders aren't interested, but the Champion two-year-old and Guineas winner is a hugely attractive proposition. We can also assume that Juddmonte believe that Chaldean is the better stallion prospect and they would prefer to use him for their own mares rather than Westover, who was by far the better racehorse.

The Prix du Jockey Cub is without any doubt the preeminent stallion-making race for middle-distance horses in Europe. The reason is simple. It is a 10.5-furlong race and a proven success in the stallion-making business since it became so. St Mark's Basilica and Ace Impact are the next two in line.

Westover is just the latest example of an Irish Derby winner unwanted by the European breeders. Certainly Juddmonte must think so.

Shorten the Irish Derby.

Patrick Cooper, BBA Ireland

Do you agree or disagree with this view? Please let us know your thoughts by emailing emmaberry@thetdn.com.

 

The post Letter to the Editor: A Tale of Two Frankels appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article