A champion on the track, a star at stud, and a sales ring standout

The Thoroughbred Report's Dane McLeod previews the Frankel yearlings on offer at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Taken from The Thoroughbred Report, 2nd April 2025, by Dane McLeod:

Although the legendary Frankel never raced beyond the borders of Great Britain during his flawless 14-start career, his influence as a sire has spread far and wide - nowhere more so than in Australia. At the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, prospective buyers can inspect 11 impeccably bred yearlings by Frankel, a rare offering from one of the world’s most elite stallions.

Historically, there have been very few stallions capable of producing consistent stakes winners on the other side of the world without ever standing in that country. Frankel is the rare exception, continuing to defy expectations and break records across the globe.

Let’s talk statistics on the track

Frankel has a reputation worldwide as one of the best living stallions if not the best, and the statistics he has put together back up such a statement. He has now sired an extraordinary 153 stakes winners worldwide from just 914 runners, boasting a phenomenal 17 per cent stakes winners to runners ratio.

Focusing on Australia, the numbers are just as compelling, which is unbelievable, considering he has never shuttled down under. From only 98 runners, Frankel has produced 18 stakes winners, giving him an 18 per cent stakes winners to runners ratio in this market. His two Group 1 winners are Mirage Dancer and Hungry Heart.

Looking more closely at his international progeny in Australia, 44 Frankel-sired imports have raced here, yielding 30 winners, including nine stakes winners at a remarkable 20 per cent stakes winners to runners ratio. That talented group includes Mirage Dancer, Finche, Steinem, Herman Hesse, Francesco Guardi, Soulcombe, Dajraan, King Frankel, and Born A King.

You would think that you could assume that the Northern-Hemisphere-bred runners may have significantly better statistics, as these runners would have shown or indicated early promise before being exported to Australia; however, Frankel's Australian-bred progeny record is equally notable.

He has sired 10 stakes winners from 67 Australian-bred runners, a group that includes Hungry Heart, Converge, Miss Fabulass, My Whisper, Argentia, Letsbefrankbaby, Frankely Awesome, Farooq, Significance, and Miss Frankel—the latter an Australian-bred Listed winner in South Africa. These Australian-bred runners are either out of mares imported to Australia in foal to Frankel or foaled in Australia from local mares sent to visit him at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud.

Making his mark in the ring

The natural appeal of owning progeny by a champion racehorse like Frankel was evident from the very beginning. In his early seasons at stud, buyers were quick to pursue his stock, drawn initially to his unbeaten race record and outstanding pedigree that crossed two of the most influential stallions in Danehill and Sadler's Wells, but also a little bit later, the early signs of brilliance his offspring were showing on the track. That blend of hype and high performance has seen Frankel consistently sell well and be enthusiastically received—at all major Australian sales over the past nine years.

Since 2016, 64 weanlings or yearlings by Frankel have gone through the ring at major Australasian Sales, fetching an extraordinary A$34,380,000. That figure translates to a remarkable average of A$537,187. The highest-priced individual came at the 2016 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale when Strawberry Hill presented a colt out of More Strawberries; he was knocked down to Chris Waller Racing for A$1.6 million and raced as Merovee.

Looking closer at the breakdown, 11 weanlings have sold for a combined A$6,435,000, averaging A$585,000 a piece. Frankel’s Australian ring presence has come primarily from his 53 yearlings, who together have brought A$27,945,000, at a very impressive average of A$527,264.

With 11 beautifully bred Frankel yearlings set to go under the hammer this Sunday and Monday at Riverside, the odds are strong they’ll follow in the footsteps of their high-priced paternal siblings—and extend Frankel’s remarkable sales legacy on Australasian soil. Click here to see his Inglis Australian Easter Yearlings.

Frankel’s finest: Blending class with local and global damlines

The mares that were imported to Australia in foal to Frankel, are by a range of internationally renowned stallions such as War Front, Dubawi, Pivotal, Invincible Spirit, Kodiac, and Zoffany. These mares have become valuable additions to the Australian broodmare pool, enriching the variety and strength of local bloodlines.

On the other hand, a select group of these yearlings come from outstanding, Group-performed New Zealand or Australian mares. Lot 31 is a strong colt out of Loire (Redoute’s Choice), a Group 1 winner of the New Zealand 1000 Guineas and from the same family as Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai). Lot 348 is a classy filly out of Dorothy Of Oz, a two-time winning Redoute’s Choice mare. This filly is a three-quarter-sister to Argentia (Frankel), a dual Group 3 winner. Lot 313, although born in Great Britain, is out of California Zimbol (I Am Invincible), who was twice victorious at both Group 3 and Listed levels.

A closer look: The breeders behind these exceptional yearlings

As Frankel's influence continues to resonate in the Southern Hemisphere, the breeders and vendors behind his Easter-bound yearlings have their own unique stories to tell, each reflecting the planning, passion, and pedigree that go into producing top-tier racehorses.

Cherry Taylor of Trelawney Stud shared insight into their carefully plotted journey with Frankel and their colt (Lot 31): “We obviously, like everybody in the world, were very keen on the idea of using Frankel. Loire is a very well-bred filly, a Group 1 winner, just off the track, and we were keen to go to Frankel, so we gave them (Juddmonte) a ring and said, what can we do if we keep her there for two years.”

In terms of how it worked over their logistic wise, Taylor said: “Adrian O’Brien of Hazelwood Bloodstock looked after her and did a fantastic job. They walked her in, and she got in foal both times; she had a lovely filly over there, and then we sent them back home, and the mare foaled this colt at Cambridge Stud."

“This colt is a real character. We have thought about selling him at Easter the whole time. At one stage, I wanted to keep him, but my husband (Brent Taylor) would not allow that with him being a colt."

“It is a risky venture and expensive, but we got a good deal breeding to Southern Hemisphere time. We look forward to selling him. He's got the pedigree for everyone to like, and he's a great type.”

Jon Freyer of Arrowfield Stud also weighed in on the powerful trio of Frankel yearlings they’re bringing to Easter: “We are great Frankel fans. He's doing a great job, and his statistics are unparalleled. He was a great racehorse, magnificent individual, beautifully bred, and he's doing a job, so you couldn't really ask for more. “We have got three lovely yearlings by Frankel. The Opulent Colt (Lot 94) is a great mover, not overly big, but he is very athletic. He has that great Dubawi nick and is directly out of the Galileo family. Masar, who won the Derby, was bred the same way.”

“The Pluperfect (Lot 110) filly is out of a three-quarter-sister to Kingman, so she has a lot of Juddmonte about it. She's a lengthy, stylish, classic type of filly."

“The Summerland (Lot 199) filly has that same cross again and is inbred to Galileo’s family as King’s Best is out of the same family. She has loads of quality, and we bought the dam at the Chairman's sale in foal to Frankel."

“The Frankels are all different in their own right, but all have class. We have a bit of everything in our draft, and having that international flavour is important. Overall, We are very happy to have three Frankels. He was a remarkable racehorse and sire.”

Evergreen Stud Farm presents Lot 348, their close relation to the talented Argentia (Frankel).

Aaron Bott of Evergreen Stud Farm reflected on their long-standing connection with Frankel and the strategy behind breeding to him: “We were there right from the start when you are talking about using Frankel. We bought Conversely in foal to Frankel, and she went on to produce Converge, who ended up a Group 1 winner. That kind of got the ball rolling and really created interest for us; he was such a great racehorse and had a real aura about him."

“We ended up sending Princess Coup over to Great Britain to go to Frankel, and the result was Argentia, who was a very smart filly. This filly is a three-quarter-sister to her; we knew how good Argentia was, so we decided to send over her half-sister, Dorothy Of Oz. and this filly is the result.”

Their affinity for Frankel extends beyond breeding, with Bott acknowledging their continued investment in his bloodlines: “So we have a bit of an affiliation with Frankel and would like to think we were ahead of the curve a bit. We also have been underbidders to mares in foal at sales. We also have Format and Caviar on the racing team, and we think Format is a good horse.”

Discussing Lot 348, Bott was full of praise for the filly's type and pedigree updates: “She’s physically very similar to Argentia, a lovely filly, well-balanced. She has a stack of residual value, and only on Saturday did the family get another update with (half-sister) Rich Dottie being stakes-placed.”