Frankel offspring have life and spark, says Palmer

Frankel cruises to Queen Anne Stakes success in 2012. Image courtesy of Racingfotos.com.

It seems like only yesterday, but five years have passed since Frankel memorably blew away the opposition in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas.

The Sir Henry Cecil-trained colt won nine successive QIPCO British Champions Series contests by an incredible aggregate of more than 46 lengths before being retired at the end of 2012, having won all 14 of his races.

In his first three years as a stallion, he has covered about 500 mares. Potential suitors have had to pay £125,000 for his services.

This year the outstanding horse’s first offspring will be in action on the racecourse and Hugo Palmer, who has three in his care, has given an insight into what we can expect.

“All three of them are lovely in different ways,” he said. “They all move very well.

“They are not totally straightforward but you don’t want a good horse to be totally straightforward – you want them to have a bit of life and spark to them.

“The trio that I’ve got have that but are not at all difficult. One is a tiny is bit sweaty but always has been.”

Palmer, who began training the year Frankel won the Guineas, is in no rush to get any of them on a racecourse and says it will be at least June before his are in action.

“I always thought the mastery of Henry’s training of Frankel is that he won an International Stakes and Champion Stakes with a horse who probably could have won the July Cup.

“It would be very easy to kick these beautifully bred Frankels in the belly and win sprint races with them because I’m sure they would, but the clever thing to do is to hold off.

“The dream is that we talking about one of them at this time next year for the Guineas.”

Stories that combine gambling and drinking usually end in tears but Palmer, who will saddle Galileo Gold in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday, says it was a combination of the two that led him on a path towards training.

He fondly recalls the two occasions, as a youngster 20 years ago, that led to him being bewitched by the thoroughbred.

“I was 16 and on the way to the pub with a school friend,” he said with a smile, “and we went into the bookies on the way. I think had a quid on me and he had two. We put them together and ended up backing eight or nine winners in the afternoon, walked out with about £60 each and went to the pub and got completely blind.

“Then I had an argument with the same friend about the Derby. I said Benny The Dip would win and he said it wouldn’t because Willie Ryan was riding – and that the last time he rode in the Derby he fell off.

“I always say to Willie Ryan he is responsible [for where I am now]. I won the bet, won the argument and backed Benny The Dip – and that was it, I was completely hooked.”

Frankie Dettori would have ridden Benny The Dip at Epsom had he not been claimed to ride a big outsider for Godolphin. The charismatic Italian will be aboard Galileo Gold this weekend so the story may yet have another chapter.