Gold Cup Glory For Frankel’s Courage Mon Ami And Frankie

Burying the unhappiness of his loss on Stradivarius at what turned out to be a controversial Royal Ascot 12 months ago, Frankie Dettori sealed immortality at the track that has done so much to elevate him with a heartstopping G1 Gold Cup victory on Wathnan Racing's Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}–Crimson Ribbon, by Lemon Drop Kid). Capping a day of days in the history of the distinguished meeting, what amounted to a brilliant piece of placing by the Gosdens saw the untried and raw 4-year-old defy all this great race's stats and trends. Thrown in at the deep end after a trio of wins on the all-weather and a Goodwood handicap by a cumulative margin of 13 3/4 lengths, the Oppenheimer-bred was up another six furlongs but his odds of 15-2 told the real story about the regard in which he is held at Clarehaven.

Always travelling strongly towards the rear as the 2021 hero Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) took the race by the scruff of the neck, he was threaded up the rail to overhaul the 11-4 favourite Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) inside the final furlong. Despite that veteran battling back, it was Royal winner number 79 and the ultimate sign-off for Dettori as he asserted to score by 3/4 of a length with Subjectivist fading to be 3 3/4 lengths behind in third. The win was the third Group 1 of the week for Frankel, with Juddmonte's kingpin seemingly assuming the mantle of the King of Royal Ascot.

“I thought it was a bridge too far from handicaps to Group 1, but I had the perfect trip,” Frankie said. “I didn't expect it. The last five years I've had Stradivarius, so the pressure was on. This one I thought was a bit of a chancer, but John was confident. It's unbelievable, on my last year winning the Gold Cup. Myself, The King and Queen Camilla had a talk beforehand about his win and my relationship with his mother, Queen Elizabeth, then the next race I go on and win the Gold Cup and he presents the trophy. It's amazing, really amazing.”

 

Just how steep the learning curve of Courage Mon Ami has been can be evidenced by his debut in September when carrying the Oppenheimer silks in a 12-furlong Kempton novice. Blowing the start and several lengths behind the rest of the field early, he was still able to produce a sustained effort to win comfortably and even though his final start as an entire colt in October saw him double up in more professional manner on Newcastle's Tapeta, it was not until his comeback at Goodwood last month that targeting this race seemed even remotely realistic.

Upsetting a host of proven group 1 performers going so far into the unknown trip-wise in one of the world's toughest races would normally be an insurmountable task for a horse of such little seasoning, but Courage Mon Ami has rare quality. Settled on the fence as Stradivarius was 12 months ago, he was able to coast through most of the first two miles but as the stable's three-time winner had been in the last two renewals was also a hostage to fortune as the action hotted up. Denied an out approaching the home turn, Frankie was forced back to the inner but unlike last year saw it all open up in front of him like a symbolic parting of the waves.

Unleashing a 11.93 split between the three and the two to enter the fight, Courage Mon Ami had to switch around Coltrane as that rival took over from the tiring Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) but by now the fledgling stayer's blood was up. Ahead at the furlong marker, the winner was the freshest horse for the finale where Frankie's innate poise was evident despite all the emotion and pressure of the moment.

“I wanted to swing out wide but Stéphane [Pasquier] kept me in and actually won me the race, because I cut the corner and it happened,” Frankie added. “I got the splits when I wanted to and in fairness he showed a turn of foot. He's still a baby, but when Coltrane came back he picked up again. John's a great trainer and he does things like that. Sometimes if I don't believe it I just go along with it! My kids shook hands with The King afterwards and are old enough to understand now. For the last 18 years, they've just thought I was a guy on the TV, maybe like Peppa Pig or something!”

Even by John Gosden's standards, this was a supreme piece of training and unlike anything in the history of the great race. “I don't think I'll try that again,” he quipped in reference to the winner's inexperience. “He's always looked smart, but as you can tell by the size of him he's taken plenty of time to mature. You can't practise two and a half miles at home, but Frankie stayed cool and rode him cool in the dark down the inside, saving every inch.”

“Courage Mon Ami is a lovely horse and has gone from the all-weather to Goodwood to here, so full credit to him,” Gosden Sr added. “You'd like to think he's still maturing now and can still improve. [Bloodstock agent] Richard Brown has done a very clever job, as he was asked to find horses to come to Royal Ascot for Wathnan Racing and they are hard to buy. Gregory and Courage Mon Ami were owner-breeder horses and the costs of keeping a stud going means owners have to sell.”

“It crowns Frankie's week,” he concluded. “He's had a phenomenal career. We've been working together on and off for thirty years and had one argument in that time. How many marriages can say that? We patched that up after five days and were winning group ones in Deauville straight after and kicked on after that. Look at the result today.”

Coltrane's rider Oisin Murphy said of the gallant runner-up, now officially one of Britain's leading stayers representing the vintage class of 2022 alone, “He relaxed great and travelled round super. I felt I could go and win the race. Frankie's come with me and it was a good battle and Frankie came out on top.”

Subjectivist was back to his best with a stirring effort which drew the sting from all bar two of his rivals and Charlie Johnston was understandably proud. “He's run a great race,” he said. “I was sort of expecting he would win or we would be out with the washing! It's been a long road and just being here is pretty special. Let's hope he's okay and we can go again.”

Pedigree Notes
Courage Mon Ami becomes the 31st group 1 winner for Frankel, whose presence at this year's Royal Ascot has confirmed his ever-elevating status. The dam Crimson Ribbon, who scored over a mile and a half, has also produced the Listed Chalice S. scorer and G3 Pinnacle S. runner-up Crimson Rosette (Ire), the Australian stakes winner and group 3-placed Astronomos (GB) and the listed-placed Purple Ribbon (GB) all by other sons of Galileo in Teofilo (Ire), New Approach (Ire) and Gleneagles (Ire) respectively.

Crimson Ribbon is a full-sister to Bronze Cannon, who captured the G2 Hardwicke S. at this meeting as well as the G2 Jockey Club S., and to the GIII My Charmer H. scorer Valiant Girl while her half-brother Across The Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was successful under Frankie in the 2016 G2 King Edward VII S. The listed-placed second dam Victoria Cross (Ire) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) is out of the G2 Park Hill S. runner-up Glowing With Pride (GB) (Ile de Bourbon), whose three other stakes performer are headed by the GII San Marco H. winner and GI Hollywood Turf Cup-placed Prize Giving (GB) (Most Welcome {GB}). Crimson Ribbon also has the stable's once-raced 3-year-old colt Lion's Pride (GB) (Roaring Lion), a 2-year-old filly by Frankel's son Cracksman (GB) named Danielle (GB) and a yearling filly by Golden Horn (GB).

Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
GOLD CUP-G1, £600,000, Ascot, 6-22, 4yo/up, 19f 210yT, 4:20.97, g/f.
1–COURAGE MON AMI (GB), 129, g, 4, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Crimson Ribbon, by Lemon Drop Kid
2nd Dam: Victoria Cross (Ire), by Mark Of Esteem (Ire)
3rd Dam: Glowing With Pride (GB), by Ile De Bourbon
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Wathnan Racing; B-Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £340,260. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $464,871. *1/2 to Crimson Rosette (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), SW & MGSP-Eng; Astronomos (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), SW & GSP-Aus, $220,908; and Purple Ribbon (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Coltrane (Ire), 130, g, 6, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Promise Me (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (50,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Mick & Janice Mariscotti; B-Rockfield Farm (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £129,000.
3–Subjectivist (GB), 130, h, 6, Teofilo (Ire)–Reckoning (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (62,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT). O-Dr Jim Walker; B-Mascalls Stud (GB); T-Charlie Johnston. £64,560.
Margins: 3/4, 3 3/4, HD. Odds: 7.50, 2.75, 4.50.
Also Ran: Emily Dickinson (Ire), Nate The Great (GB), Yibir (GB), Eldar Eldarov (GB), Echoes In Rain (Fr), Lone Eagle (Ire), Broome (Ire), Big Call, Wise Eagle (Ire). Scratched: Tashkhan (Ire), Trueshan (Fr).

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Frankel One Two In The Queen Anne As Triple Time Wins

Royal Ascot began with a one-two for Frankel (GB), but it was the 33-1 shot Triple Time (Ire) and not the higher-profile Inspiral (GB) who came out on top after a thrilling finale to Tuesday's opening G1 Queen Anne S. Remarkably, both were having their seasonal debuts but were able to shake off any rustiness to ensure that Juddmonte's giant dominated proceedings in this qualifier for the $2-million GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November. Denied a run in the G1 Lockinge S. due to a bout of colic, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred son of his sensational broodmare Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) was understandably fresh and keen on the front end alongside Light Infantry (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}) initially.

Committed by Neil Callan approaching the two-furlong marker, Triple Time looked a sitting duck as Frankie loomed on the Cheveley Park filly but kept finding late to deny the Italian his ideal start by a neck. Habitual Group 1 place-getter Light Infantry stuck to his guns to be 2 1/2 lengths away in third, with the 7-4 favourite Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) another 3/4 of a length away in fourth.

“Kevin [Ryan] gave me so much confidence, as he said he was the best horse he's ever trained,” Callan said. “That's quite a big call to make, because he's had a lot of good horses and Umar, who rides him every day, said to me going out of the chute, just ride him like his dad.”

Successful in Haydock's Listed Ascendant S. in September 2021 and G3 Superior Mile 12 months on, Triple Time owed his odds to his latest public viewing when seventh sinking into ParisLongchamp's sapping ground in the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein. On this showing, he would have been a major player in the Lockinge given how the winner of that Newbury feature fared here, but connections had no complaints as the fates played the cards at the right time.

“He wasn't really keen today, he's just a bit sensitive in his mouth and was throwing his head up a bit,” added his rider, who was enjoying a landmark moment on his own personal journey. “The more rein I was giving him, the more he was racing on his own and I just let him relax. When I came back from riding in Hong Kong, I didn't really know what to expect. You are not guaranteed anything in this game and you have to work for what you get. I was lucky that when I came back Kevin Ryan gave me some support.”

Ryan was keen to stress that the odds failed to reflect their view of the winner. “It's not a surprise to us, as we've always had a lot of faith in him,” he said. “Sheikh Mohammed Obaid has been very patient and he's only had one ordinary run in France in October on deep ground. Now hopefully we will have a full season with him. He's got a massive stride and he's not the type that you can break the stride of. He's very tough. We had a plan in our head and Neil carried it out to a tee.”

John Gosden said of Inspiral, “She switched off and did everything right. She just hit the front and the other one came back, but they are two very nice ones and there are a lot of nice horses behind them. She will come on for the race, it's not often you come to a Group 1 and say they'll come on for the race. We would look at races like the Sussex or the Jacques le Marois that she won in Deauville last year, but she's back on song–that's the main thing.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Remarkably, this was a third Royal Ascot winner for Triple Time's aforementioned listed-placed dam Reem Three, following the 2018 Britannia H. success of winner Ostilio (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and 2019 Wokingham H. win of Cape Byron (GB) (Shamardal). Ostilio went on to annexe the Prix Daniel Wildenstein that this winner floundered in last year, while Cape Byron was back here later for his career-best success in the G3 Bengough S. and they are just two of a total of six who scored at black-type level for her. Other than this colt, the others are the G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial scorer Third Realm (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and recent Listed Heron S. winner Captain Winters (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Another of her progeny is Imperial Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who didn't score in black-type company but was third in the G1 Prix Saint Alary.

Reem Three is a half to the owner-breeder's smart Afsare (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who took the G2 Celebration Mile and G3 Sovereign S. and was runner-up in the GI Arlington Million and G1 Premio Presidente della Repubblica. She has the 2-year-old filly Bolsena (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and yearling filly by Night Of Thunder (Ire).

Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
QUEEN ANNE S.-G1, £750,000, Ascot, 6-20, 4yo/up, 8fT, 1:40.70, gd.
1–TRIPLE TIME (IRE), 128, c, 4, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Reem Three (GB) (SP-Eng), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
2nd Dam: Jumaireyah (GB), by Fairy King
3rd Dam: Donya (Ire), by Mill Reef
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (IRE); T-Kevin Ryan; J-Neil Callan. £425,325. Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-1, $640,637. *1/2 Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), G1SW-Fr, SW & MGSP-Eng, $306,567; Ostilio (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), GSW-Fr, SW & GSP-Eng, $365,103; Cape Byron (GB) (Shamardal), GSW-Eng & SP-Fr, $401,954; Third Realm (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), SW & GSP-Eng, $193,727; Captain Winters (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), SW-Eng; and Imperial Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), G1SP-Fr, $136,125. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Inspiral (GB), 125, f, 4, Frankel (GB)–Starscope (GB), by Selkirk. O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £161,250.
3–Light Infantry (Fr), 128, c, 4, Fast Company (Ire)–Lights On Me (GB), by Kyllachy (GB). (€25,000 Ylg '20 ARQDOY; £82,000 2yo '21 GOFTY). O-NeverSayDie & Light Infantry Partnership; B-Barbara Moser (FR); T-David Simcock. £80,700.
Margins: NK, 2HF, 3/4. Odds: 33.00, 2.75, 14.00.
Also Ran: Modern Games (Ire), Berkshire Shadow (GB), Chindit (Ire), Angel Bleu (Fr), Native Trail (GB), Cash (Ire), Pogo (Ire), Mutasaabeq (GB), Lusail (Ire).

 

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Frankel And Kingman Available On Southern Hemisphere Time

Juddmonte stallions Frankel (GB) and Kingman (GB) will both be available to cover mares on Southern Hemisphere time, the TDN AusNZ reported on Thursday morning. The former will remain at £125,000 and his 50-mare SH book is already mostly full. The latter's fee will be £40,000.

“I had it confirmed to me only this morning [Wednesday] that there are only two stallions in history who have sired a 2-year-old Group 1 winner in Australia having never stood there,” Shane Horan, Juddmonte's stallion nominations manager, told the publication. “Frankel is one and Kingman is the other, and the fact that they're at the same farm at the same time is phenomenal.”

Besides siring G1 J.J. Atkins S. winner King Colorado (Aus) on the weekend, Kingman was also represented by Group 3 winner Sinawann (Ire) taking an Australian listed event during the same timeframe. Of his 23 runners in Australasia,15 are winners. Besides the aforementioned stakes winners, the son of Invincible Spirit (Ire) also has Group 3 winner Emissary (GB) and the Group 3-placed Tass (Aus).

“From a marketing point of view, his big selling point to an Aussie market is that he was a brilliant miler with a high cruising speed and a killer turn of foot,” Horan said. “He passes that on to his progeny. He is also the highest-rated son of Invincible Spirit, who is, of course, the sire of I Am Invincible (Aus), and I Am Invincible has been a revelation in Australia.

“He typically gets them looking like himself,” Horan added. “He's an elegant stallion. He's lightly made and light on his feet. His progeny tend to race with a high head-carriage and he's passing on that great acceleration. It seems like he's ideally suited to those mares with lots of substance, and he will add in all the quality you could ask for.”

“It's hard to predict what sort of numbers we'll expect for him [Kingman] this September,” he said. “I'll know a lot more by the Tattersalls July Sale up here when many of the Australian breeders and agents will be in attendance.”

Frankel's Australasian stats are no less remarkable. The sire of 121 stakes winners worldwide, the 15-year-old has 16 winners from 40 runners Down Under. All 16 of those winners have struck at stakes level, with his 12 group winners led by Group 1 winners Hungry Heart (Aus), Mirage Dancer (GB), and Converge (Aus). The last-named also won the G1 J.J. Atkins.

Frankel, physically, is a bull of a stallion,” Horan said. “There's probably a lot of Danehill coming through in him. His mother was a very typical Danehill mare, and he's probably more suited by the elegant type of mare. Kingman is probably less fussy on the size of mare sent, but a mare with substance and plenty of bone is recommended.”

Both stallions will stand to Southern Hemisphere time on Special Live Foal (SLF) terms. The fee is payable 45 days from the last service date (when the mare is confirmed in-foal) and should anything happen to the foal within 48 hours of birth in Australia, a full refund on the service fee will be provided. Juddmonte is also supplying a £10,000 travel allowance for mares travelling up from the Southern Hemisphere, which is useful when it comes to a £40,000) service fee for Kingman.

Kingman is often overshadowed by Frankel, which is understandable,” Horan said. “Frankel has tied with Danehill as the fastest stallion to 100 worldwide stakes winners in terms of numbers of days taken to achieve it, and in terms of getting to 50 stakes winners by number of days, Frankel was also the fastest, beating Dubawi (Ire) who beat Galileo (Ire). But in the meanwhile, Kingman didn't reach 50 as fast as Frankel, but he was quicker to do it than Dubawi and Galileo. So that gives you a perspective on where this horse sits.”

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Frankel Filly Lights Up Goodwood, Irish Oaks Next?

Impressive when off the mark by 4 3/4 lengths on debut at Haydock last month, Shadwell's Al Asifah (GB) (Frankel {GB}–Aneen {Ire}, by Lawman {Fr}) was prompting Classic talk after making light work of her first black-type test in Sunday's Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions British EBF Agnes Keyser Fillies' S. at Goodwood. Not missed in the market as the 4-7 favourite for the 10-furlong contest, the John and Thady Gosden-trained relative of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas-winning sire Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) was settled a few lengths off the pace by Jim Crowley. Making facile progress to take control two out, the homebred needed no urging to put her stamp on affairs and stormed clear of Empress Wu (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) to score by 6 1/2 lengths with her rider stood in the irons.

Al Asifah, the second of four foals out of the listed-placed Aneen who is a half to four black-type performers headed by the aforementioned Awtaad, could be Curragh-bound with connections eyeing the upcoming Classic. “It was fabulous–she could be very good,” Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold said. “We haven't had time to discuss it yet, and we will talk to Sheikha Hissa, but a very obvious thing if we want to be bold would be to talk about supplementing her for the Irish Oaks. Timing-wise, it was just a pity she had immaturity issues, her muscle enzymes were a bit high for a while so they have just gone steady with her and typically taken their time.”

“Everything about her, to me, looks a mile-and-a-half filly from her action,” Gold added. “Jim very much got that feeling today and the very encouraging thing was he was able to go past them so quickly off a relatively slow pace. She is a big, tall filly and in Jim's words, she could be even better over a mile and a half. If we had 10 more days, obviously we could consider Royal Ascot. If we were able to keep her in training next year and keep her in good form, she could be a filly for all the top mile-and-a-half races next year, so we won't want to rush her straight back in.”

Al Asifah, whose immediate relatives also include Frankel's Listed Cairn Rouge S. winner Mehnah (GB), is also connected to the G2 Champion Juvenile S. winner and G1 Derby runner-up Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}). The family includes the great Seattle Slew, the 2000 Guineas hero Lomond and Seattle Dancer. Aneen's 2-year-old filly by Dubawi (Ire) is named Al Thariyaat (GB), while she also has a yearling full-brother to Al Asifah to come.

WEATHERBYS / BRITISH EBF AGNES KEYSER FILLIES S.-Listed, £70,000, Goodwood, 6-11, 3yo, f, 9f 197yT, 2:08.76, g/f.
1–AL ASIFAH (GB), 128, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)
     1st Dam: Aneen (Ire) (SP-Ire), by Lawman (Fr)
     2nd Dam: Asheerah (GB), by Shamardal
     3rd Dam: Adaala, by Sahm
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Jim Crowley. £39,697. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $56,591.
2–Empress Wu (GB), 128, f, 3, Sea The Moon (Ger)–Chinoiseries (GB), by Archipenko.
1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Miss K Rausing (GB); T-David Simcock. £15,050.
3–Sumo Sam (GB), 128, f, 3, Nathaniel (Ire)–Seaduced (GB), by Lope De Vega (Ire). O-Ben & Sir Martyn Arbib; B-Arbib Bloodstock Partnership (GB); T-Paul & Oliver Cole. £7,532.
Margins: 6HF, 2 1/4, 1. Odds: 0.57, 9.00, 7.00.
Also Ran: Elegancia (GB), Crystallium (GB), Ermesinde (Ire), High Spirited (Ire). Scratched: Conservationist (GB).

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