In focus: Frankel fillies on fire in 2021 as Inspiral heads a strong team
With three Frankel fillies set to contest the bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on Friday, Ben Linfoot has a look at his 2yo daughters that have taken the season by storm.
The 2021 Frankel crop has been his best ever when it comes to his juveniles and that’s with three months of the year to go. His first crop in 2016 was his previous best, when he had 22 winners at a win strike-rate of 32.35%, but the 2021 vintage had surpassed that by the end of September and the current figures stand at 27/81 at 33.33%*.
While his 2yo colts and geldings have performed at a respectable 10/38 at 26%, it’s his 2021 juvenile fillies that have provided the backbone for such impressive numbers.
FRANKEL 2YO FILLIES 2021 (UK & IRE)
17 wins/43 runs 39.53%*
(+£34.47 to £1 level stakes at SP)
*Before racing on 06/10/2021
That statistic includes his UK & Irish runners only and the figures aren’t skewed by one particular winning machine.
Indeed, the 17 victories have come from nine individual winners and three of them, headed by the QIPCO 1000 Guineas ante-post favourite Inspiral, run in the bet365 Fillies’ Mile on Friday…
INSPIRAL (Frankel – Starscope)
John & Thady Gosden 1-1-1
INSPIRAL is very much the team captain for the Frankel fillies in 2021. Rated 110 after three victories from her first three runs, she burst onto the scene when running away with the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Star Stakes at Sandown on her second start and she was even better in the Cazoo May Hill Stakes at Doncaster last time out. She couldn’t post a big figure on Town Moor as they went slow early and she was keen as a consequence, but she couldn’t do much more than sprint away from them before being eased down towards the finishing line. In a better race off a stronger gallop she could well cement her status as the top 2yo filly in 2021 and the stage is set for her to do just that in Friday’s Fillies’ Mile.
WILD BEAUTY (Frankel – Tulips)
Charlie Appleby 6-1-1-2-2-1
After finishing second to Inspiral in the aforementioned Star Stakes at Sandown, fellow Frankel filly WILD BEAUTY went and franked the form in style by landing the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine under Frankie Dettori on September 19. That victory was all the more impressive considering the troubles she had at the start, as she was squeezed for room when the stalls opened and lost a few lengths before motoring home for a two-and-three-quarter length victory. That first go at a mile saw a big improvement on her previous efforts and will give connections hope she can make up ground on her form with Inspiral over seven furlongs – when she was three-and-a-half lengths in arrears.
MAJESTIC GLORY (Frankel – Bella Nouf)
Andrew Balding 6-2-1-1-6
The other Frankel in the Fillies’ Mile is Andrew Balding’s MAJESTIC GLORY and her form ties in with the market principals, as well. She beat Wild Beauty in the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes on the July Course when finishing her race really strongly but disappointed next time out when only sixth in the Rockfel. She needs to bounce back from that performance if she’s to have a say in the Fillies’ Mile, but stepping up to the distance for the first time should help as she’s closely related to a handful of mile to 10-furlong horses.
PERFECT NEWS (Frankel – Besharah)
William Haggas 2-1-8-1
Also on Friday it’s the Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes and two-time winner PERFECT NEWS runs in this for Frankel. She’s interesting stepping back into group company after winning a nursery off a mark of 93 last time out at Newmarket and her yard couldn’t be in better form, with the red-hot William Haggas operating at a 38% strike-rate for the last two weeks. The last time she tackled a Group 3 she was exposed when eighth in the Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury at the start of last month, but she was too keen that day and was only beaten two-and-a-half lengths so there is obvious scope for improvement.
HOMELESS SONGS (Frankel – Joailliere)
Dermot Weld 1-5
Entered in the Listed Staffordstown Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday, HOMELESS SONGS is another winning daughter of Frankel that could be out this weekend. The Moyglare Stud-owned filly made a big impression on debut when winning a red-hot Leopardstown maiden by two lengths, with many of the vanquished subsequently boosting the form in victory including runner-up, Agartha, who won the Silver Flash and Debutante Stakes before running well twice in Group Ones. Indeed, she reversed form with Homeless Songs in the Moyglare Stud Stakes when Dermot Weld’s filly could only manage fifth, although a line can be put through the run as not much went right for her (she was very keen and was squeezed for room at a vital stage). Better is expected from her and if she is dropped in class this weekend she could well get back on the winning trail.
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WITH THE MOONLIGHT (Frankel – Sand Vixen)
Charlie Appleby 4-1-1
All of the above have tackled pattern company and it looks a matter of time before WITH THE MOONLIGHT follows suit. Charlie Appleby’s Frankel filly was a beaten 6/5 favourite on debut in a novice at Newmarket in July, but she improved for the run just over two weeks later when getting off the mark in a maiden at Chelmsford despite needing reminders two from home. The experience wasn’t lost on her, as she looked much more polished last time out at Wolverhampton six weeks later, where she cantered to a near five-length victory under a penalty in the style of a horse destined for better things.
NATASHA (Frankel – Darkova)
John & Thady Gosden 2-1-1-8
George Strawbridge’s NATASHA only appeared on a racetrack for the first time in August but she was contesting the Group One Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac on her fourth start at ParisLongchamp on Sunday. Unfortunately she ran no race, finishing an eased-down last after veering right out of the stalls and never figuring. The good news is she had previously looked progressive after novice victories at Kempton and Sandown and she should make a three-year-old given she’s a half-sister to Almanzor, the French Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Champion Stakes winner of 2016. A crumb of comfort for connections of Natasha will be his own two-year-old profile, as he won three times at a lower level before flopping in seventh on his final start at two in the G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. There’s hope for this particular Frankel filly yet.
SADMAH (Frankel – Mossfun)
Kevin Ryan 1-7-1-0
There’s some natural pace living within SADMAH and she could be a rare Frankel sprinter to watch out for if Kevin Ryan can channel her energy in a positive direction. She went off too quick when swerving out of the stalls at Ayr last time out, but before that her victories at both Haydock and Chester, either side of her defeat in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, showcased her raw talents well. Her dam won the G1 Golden Slipper in Australia and she’s from a family of sprinters, so it would be no surprise if Ryan, who has a wonderful touch with speedsters, gets the very best out of her over six furlongs when she’s a three-year-old.
FRANKELLA (Frankel – Arabian Queen)
Andrew Balding 5-7-1-5-5-0
FRANKELLA wins the list when it comes to breeding, being out of G1 Juddmonte International heroine Arabian Queen. She’s been a bit of a slow burner, running green on her first two starts, but she put it all together when winning a 20-runner six-furlong fillies’ maiden at Newmarket’s July Festival. Beaten in three starts subsequently, the hope is that she takes after her dam who really took off at three when stepped up in trip to a mile and further. In that regard it’s encouraging that Frankella had the ability to win a race over six furlongs at two, but it remains to be seen how far she can climb the ladder – her full-brother Spirit Mixer has won races at three, but he is only rated 78.
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