After being in West Palm Beach, Florida, I flew back with my beautiful Marlene to visit (wait for it) Great Yarmouth. Actually, there is no place I would rather have been as we enjoyed a day at the Eastern Festival, specifically Ladies Day.
All good fun.
Anyway, what's been happening on the Frankel (2yo) two-year-old front? I thought I would be singing the praises of Sir Michael Stoute's Melnikova who was put in her place when competing at Newbury in the Dubai Duty-Free Full Of Surprises British EBF Fillies' Conditions' Stakes (Plus 10 Race). She ran a fine race but the 5/4f was totally eclipsed by Roger Charlton's Quadrilateral who won ''impressively'' by nine lengths.
Clearly, I had got my eye on the wrong horse, although it wasn't bad news as Quadrilateral is sired by Frankel (I knew there was some logic to this race!). Charlton's chestnut foal has made it two wins from two after sneaking home by a neck on debut. This was a sparkling display and sure to be heading to better races. An entry for the Shadwell Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket will be the next stepping stone on the 27th September. After this win, she looks certain to start favourite.
This weekend we saw another bright talent in Roger Varian's Queen Daenerys, who races in the familiar silks of H H SH Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa. This daughter of Frankel finished runner-up on debut at Ascot. She started 5/4f at Newmarket, with main danger Wasaayef shouldering a win penalty. I thought Queen Daenerys would have won pretty easily. However, it turned into a battle and Varian's charge won by a neck, staying on gamely, the pair a couple of lengths clear of the third.
So we have seen a couple of winners featuring the Frankel moniker.
They will be competing at a high level and it wouldn't be the biggest surprise to see one of this two prevail at group class.
