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INTERNATIONAL
Champion USA trainer Bobby Frankel made horseracing history on
Saturday 22 November, when his charges Epicentre and Continuously
fi nished fi rst and second in the $250 000 Hollywood Gold Cup. Epicentre
was demoted to third in the stewards’ room, but Continuously, a son
of Diesis, took the fi rst prize to enable Frankel to break Aiden O’Brien’s
2001 world record of 23 Group or Grade 1 winners in a season.
Frankel has dominated this year’s trainers’ championship in America
with his runners amassing over $18 million in prize money – $6 million
more than his nearest rival.
The highlight of his season was undoubtedly Empire Maker’s revenge
over Funny Cide and denying him Triple Crown glory in the Belmont
Stakes in New York.
Stable jockey Jerry Bailey similarly has dominated the USA jockeys’
table with over 200 winners and some $23 million in prize money. Frankel
and Bailey boast remarkable winning strike rates of 29% and 26%
respectively for the season.
While Frankel may have dominated the trainers’ ranks in the USA this
year, he failed to saddle a winner at the 20th running of the Breeders’
Cup at Santa Anita in California.
Instead it was local trainer Richard Mandella who dominated proceedings
with a record-breaking four-timer that culminated in Pleasantly
Perfect’s gallant victory in the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
European success at the meeting came in the form
of French fi lly Six Perfections (Breeders’ Cup Mile),
Islington (Fillies & Mares Turf) and High Chaparral,
who snatched an unforgettable deadheat with Mandella’s
Johar in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
The highlight of the European season was Dalakhani’s
spectacular victory in the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp
in October. The athletic half-brother to Daylami
overcame the widest draw to score in emphatic fashion
and secure the title of European Horse of the Year.
It was a great year for his owner, HRH The Aga Khan,
who also had Alamshar carry his colours to victory in
the Irish Derby, in which he defeated Dalakhani, and
the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond
Stakes.
Dalakhani has been retired to his owner’s Gilltown
Stud in Ireland as the winner of eight of nine starts and
BOBBY FRANKEL.
a Timeform rating of 134. Alamshar has been sold to take
up stud duties in Japan.
Trainer Luca Cumani’s Falbrav, who has shown remarkable
versatility and durability over a long season in winning
the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1) over a mile at
Ascot before fi nishing a gallant third in a three-way photo
in the Breeders’ Cup Turf over 2 400 m, is scheduled to take
his fi nal bow in Hong Kong on 14 December.
He has already been voted European Champion Older Horse and win
or lose in Hong Kong will retire to his part-owner’s stud in Japan as the
winner of seven Group 1 races and earnings of over £3 million.
Among the fi llies Sir Michael Stoute’s Russian Rhythm reigned supreme
with a hat trick of Group 1s before fi nding only Falbrav too good
in the QEII at Ascot.
With both the Godolphin and O’Brien teams failing to fi re on all cylinders,
Stoute topped the UK trainers’ log with 115 winners and over
£3,7 million, while stable jockey Kieren Fallon landed his sixth jockeys’
title with 208 winners and a strike rate of 21%.
In the sprinting ranks Oasis Dream was voted leading European Sprinter
following his victories in the July Cup (Group 1) and Nunthorpe
Stakes (Group 1). But few will forget the amazing achievements of
Aussie speedster Choisir in winning both the King Stand Stakes (Group
2) and Golden Jubilee Stakes (Group 1) in the space of fi ve days at the
Royal Ascot meeting in June.
O’Brien may have had a disappointing season by his immaculate
standards, but he’s got plenty look forward to in 2004 with champion
two-year-old One Cool Cat – the ruling favourite for the 2 000 Guineas
in May.
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