Trainers have come and sadly gone from this place of memories. Who could forget Michael Jarvis? A lovely man and a gifted horse trainer. Mentor to Mr Roger Varian. No wonder he is a class act.
Trawling through the Juddmonte Farm Stallions, I've been spying the Frankel two-year-olds for this season. I think every Frankel is sprinkled with a little bit of magic when born, for many, it remains fast right to the finishing line.
I think even the most established trainer must get a little bit excited about having a Frankel in their stable - the more the merrier.
Roger Varian has four Frankel 2yos this 2019 Flat season.
Let's take a quick look at them:
Retrospect -
This bay colt, a March foal, is out of a mare named Looking back and bred by Ashtown Bloodstock. The mare race twice in Italy, place at Listed class on debut and then eighth on heavy going when contesting a Group 3 contest at Cappanelle. Retrospec was purchased at Tattersalls October Year Sales (Book 1) for 850,000 guineas. He races in the familiar yellow and black polka dot silks of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. He has been entered for the Epsom Derby.
Valriyan Steel -
This bay colt is an April foal out of the mare Sabratah, who won six from eighteen races in France. This included to Listed class successes. Valriyan Steel is bred by G B Parnership and cost 600,000 euros at the yearling sales. He is now in the ownership of H H SH Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Queen Daenerys -
This bay filly may be ahead of the game being a February foal. Bred by Coolmore, she is out of the mare Song To Remeber. This daughter of the highly-rated Storm Cat never raced but clearly made her mark in the sale's ring. Queen Daenerys is similarly owned by H H SH Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa. She was originally purchased by Oliver St Lawrence from Keeneland 2018 September Sales for $500,000. She made her debut at Ascot (26th July).
Note: ''Ran well on debut, finishing to good purpose in second place.''
Unnamed -
They are keeping this bay colt a secret! Well, at least until he gets a name. This bay colt is out of a mare called Vodka bred by Tanimizu, Mr Yuzo. The mare was an exceptional racehorse in Japan winning eight of her twenty-three starts. She won over £7M in total prize money. This youngster was sent to the Tattersalls December Yearling Sales 2018 but not sold by vendor Mount Coote Stud, Ireland for 285,000.
Related stories: 5 Frankel 2yos to Follow in 2019
