Exceptions to the Rule

Tara Madgwick - Monday September 17
One of the most interesting things about breeding thoroughbreds is the inconsistencies that can allow for something amazing to come out of something that on paper may be questionable.

'Breed the best to the best' is an old chestnut we hear a lot and in the case of Saturday's super impressive Group II ATC Tea Rose Stakes winner Miss Fabulass it certainly looks to have paid off.

Miss Fabulass is the first Australian stakes-winner for FrankelA Champion 2YO and 3YO Filly such as Samantha Miss was always going to be a worthy mate for an undefeated champion such as Frankel, right?

Physically of course it's a good idea, a great one! but as the progeny of Frankel have started to race and win it has become apparent that those bred with a double cross of Danehill are far less successful than those bred without.

The statistics for Frankel, who is by Galileo from a daughter of Danehill, are as follows – 127 winners from 198 starters or 64.1% winners to runners. His 30 stakes-winners including four Group I winners represent 15.2% stakes-winners to runners. They are impressive stats and explain why Frankel stands at a fee of 175,000 pounds.

The statistics for Frankel offspring carrying a double cross of Danehill are as follows – 35 named foals have produced 11 winners from 22 starters or 50% winners to runners with just two of those 11 winners being stakes-winners – Miss Fabulass and the Group III winner Cunco.

Miss Fabulass has a 3 x 3 double cross of Danehill being from a daughter of Redoute's Choice, so her success has turned the theory of Frankel and his less than great results with Danehill line mares on it's head.

From limited numbers, Frankel has had seven winners from nine runners so far in Australia.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Best On Breeding
Five Australian-breds will line up in Saturday’s $5million Group 1 MRC Caulfield Cup (2400m), which is just two more than Frankel has supplied from his first two crops.
Frankel's San Remo Prepares for a Jumping Career
When a Frankel half-brother to multiple Group 1 winners Dubawi Heights and Make Believe was born at Barronstown Stud in 2014 it’s doubtful that connections were eying off a benchmark 70 over 3800 metres at Ararat, yet here we are.
First Stakes-Win for Emirates Park Blue Blood Frankel
By champion sire Frankel from Golden Slipper winner Mossfun, Emirates Park homebred Dajraan is bred in the purple as they say and posted his first Black Type win at Rosehill on Saturday when scoring a dashing victory in the GRoup III ATC Festival Stakes (1500m).
Arriving Home Goes Two for Two – Three-Quarter Brother for MM 2025
Talented I Am Invincible filly Arriving Home does her best work on the line and we saw it when she scored on debut at Warwick Farm earlier this month and again when she got there in the last stride to win at Randwick on Saturday.
Stakes Racing Catalogue Updates Last Week
A dozen stakes updates in the past week into catalogues for yearlings coming up.
Four MM Lead Ups for Icarian Dream - what are the stats?
Two-year-old filly Icarian Dream’s win in the B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday will see her head into the Magic Millions 2YO Classic having had four starts before year’s end, which might seem a lot in this day and age – but is it? We’ve had a look.
Sires With Winners - Saturday December 21
Here is the full list of 95 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Sunday December 22
Here is the full list of 54 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Verdi's Gritty Goldman wins Pakenham Cup
One-time Melbourne Cup favourite Goldman has bounced back to winning form for the first time in more than 18-months when leading throughout to score in the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) on Saturday.
Frankel's Miss Fabulass Returns to Form
The royally-bred Frankel mare Miss Fabulass came with a barnstorming finish to earn her second stakes win in Saturday’s Listed The Spirit Of Boom Classic (1200m) at Doomben.