Frankel to Australia.

[Cyclonic]

There is probably as much chance of finding a polar bear in the Gobi Desert, but moves are afoot here in Australia, to lure the Frankel to Australia, for the clash of the titans. Melbourne Racing Club chairman Mike Symons has asked bloodstock consultant to make overtures to Prince Khalid Abdulla and Sir Henry Cecil, in the hope that Frankel might take on Black Caviar in a match race over 1400m at Caulfield. The thinking being that Frankel when retired, may just find his way here as a shuttle sire, so it might be a sound business practice to make the trip. Mr. Symons is of the opinion that if Frankel's connections are thinking of sending the horse to North America next season, then maybe they should think of substituting the US for Australia. He has also stated the money will be object. They are willing to throw huge sums at the exercise.

Any thoughts?

PS, I'm off to bed. If I'm haunted by dreams of laughter, I'll know where it's coming from.

 

[PNkt]

This was mooted on Friday last week when Matt Chapman (ATR) interviewed Lord Grimthorpe and asked him his thoughts after a source in Australia was quoted as saying that an official was en route to Ascot under instructions to offer connections anything they wanted!

Lord Grimthorpe said it was the first he had heard of it, and politely did not rule it out.

I can't see it to be honest. Preparing the horse for a February race would give him little down-time over the winter and would effectively rule out a mid-summer campaign in Europe as they would not be able to keep him on the go right through to Champions Day, and/or Breeders' Cup.

The shuttle stallion arguement does not hold water. Juddmonte do not shuttle their stallions, they prefer to let any mares travel to their stallions' Northern Hemisphere bases - Dansili routinely covers around 20 mares to SH time each year.

It's a nice thought, but very unlikely, IMHO.

 

[King Shergar]

They tried to do a similar thing with Zenyatta and Rachel Alexander in the states, they tried to tempt the pair with a 5 million pound pot, though the race never materialised.

As much as this would be great, I think it is highly unlikely that we will see a clash between the pair, wether it be in Australia or Europe, one things for sure if the race is held in Australia it would give the mare a big advantage, just as much as Frankel would have an advantage in Europe. Its a long journey to make for either horse, and could well effect there performance on the day.

If they did have this match up, then race tactics would be interesting, would Queally trust that Frankel would have enough speed, to allow the race to be run normally, afterall Black Caviar is a very fast horse, and has pulled well clear of the best sprinters in Australia over 5f, so it's no guarantee Frankel would have more speed, even though I fancy he might.

I think Frankel would be a certainty if he was allowed to go flat out from start to finish like the Guineas, I just don't believe the mare would have a big enough engine to hang onto his coat tails, and then kick on past him.

I think the ground would also play a factor, and I'm sure if it was run in Australia the ground staff would do there best to get the ground in favour of the mare, and that would be rock hard ground. I know Frankel versatile on al grounds, but with his big stride, I've always felt he is at his best with cut, were as the mare is used to running on fast ground all year round

 

[QuarterMoonII]

Cyc, this gets Black Caviar a bit of publicity ahead of her proposed trip to the Northern Hemisphere to contest the sprints at Royal Ascot, but there appears to be little other merit to it.

Unless Deacon Blues shows marked improvement over the winter (or for that matter Moonlight Cloud, if she stays in training), the sprinting division here are eminently beatable by top Aussie sprinters so she would be a short-priced favourite for victory in Berkshire next June.

There is no realistic prospect of Frankel travelling to Oz in February and as PN has indicated, Juddmonte don’t tour their stallions. If you went to Newmarket in February, you would find Frankel needing to shed a few pounds in order to get back to racing fitness as he’ll have had his Christmas dinner and put his hooves up to watch the Queen’s Speech followed by The Sound Of Music. If they want to go to the Breeders’ Cup next season, he won’t start until his campaign until May.

 

[Zenyatta]

According to connections we won't be seeing him until the Lockinge in May and i would be very surprised if that was not the case. It is hardly as if the Prince is short of a bob or two, so i find it difficult to believe that he will be tempted by the lucrative deal on offer. I am sure that he is more concerned with the welfare of his star colt. Additionally, i am sure that this idea would not find favour with Sir Henry either.

Probably a 999/1 shot on Betfair i would think . . .

 

[SwanHills]

Cyc: Velly interesting, as long as it's not for the Melbourne Cup....

 

[King Shergar]

Zenyatta......KA isn't even retiring a colt worth atleast 100 million, I don't think there is any other owner that wouldn't have him packed off to stud now, so that just highlights how much money he has, so like yourself I agree a big prize fund, is unlikely to affect KAs decision. If he does agree to it, which is highly unlikely, im sure it will be for sporting reasons.

It's not just Frankels connections that need persuading, I'm sure Black Caviars connections wouldn't be too keen on taking on a horse like Frankel over a distance she has never proved herself over. I fancy her connections would take one look at Frankel's 2000 Guineas and realise how of a risk it would be, putting her unbeaten run on the line

 

[Cyclonic]

Yep, the chances of it happening are next to none. But what a mouthwatering thought. Frankel would have to freshened up, to try and get the enthusiasm of his Guineas win, back into his legs. His Queen Elizabeth win, I think showed that he's now, at this stage of his preparation, racing more like a 10f horse. They couldn't take him into a 7f sprint in that condition. Freshen him right up, get his natural speed back and take him straight to the front, in an effort to break the filly, by turning the race into a very testing trip. She'd have to try and hang onto his coat tails. Black Caviar is not a natural front runner, she tends to only get out about mid pack. She then settles maybe five lengths off them, then ease up onto them. The then goes whoosh. Frankel is a plus 40mph horse, so too is Black Caviar. She is wickedly quick. In her first Schillaci win, the last 600m were run in 32.76, that was leader to post time. She wasn't in front at the 600, so her time was even quicker. That was only over 1000m though. So Frankel would have to try working her over that extra 400m, in an effort to sap her energy levels. At 1200m on a dead track at Doomben, the 600m time was 32.87 and she was still third at the 200. So again, she must have run a cracking 600 in the BTC Cup. She's rock solid at 1200m, so Frankel would have to go like a scalded cat if he's to burn her off. What a breathtaking spectacle it would be though.

 

[Archers Road]

Cyc: Velly interesting, as long as it's not for the Melbourne Cup....

He settles better now, so he'd probably win that giving 2st away.