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I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Hard to argue with the assessment in these modern times but as to this quote in the article,…
Baaeed: “His racing career was a wonderful journey and he very much caught the public’s imagination with his outstanding talent”
Steven Cargill.Give that quote to the man in the street (outside of Newmarket high street) and the first question would be “Steve who?” Followed by “Baa what?”
“Baa!”
Even the sheep had heard of Frankel – outside racing no one has heard of Baa! Eed.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Did even Frankel get any real attention from the non-racing public? It’s a very long time since racing has appeared in the mainstream news for positive reasons.
Not really- the Derby is the only race, apart from the Grand National, the non racing public have heard of. If he had won the Derby and was owned by the Queen, the non racing public might remember him, if prompted (he hasn’t got a cool name).
I just asked my husband to name a racehorse.
He said “Red Rum. Shergar. Ummm. That one that won the Kentucky Derby.” “Secretariat?” “No” “Seabiscuit?” “Yes, that’s the one” (the Kentucky Derby being the only American race he had heard of).He recognised Desert Orchid, Tiger Roll and Arkle when I said the names but couldn’t tell you what races they won apart from Tiger Roll in the GN.
“Do you know who Frankel was?” “Yes, he’s dead now isn’t he? Or gone to seed or whatever you call it. Wasn’t he Willie Mullins’ best ever horse?”
I was at the starting gate for Frankel’s International win at York and there was a sizeable throng of an interested and intrigued Joe Public milling around, who’d walked down Cherry Lane from the estates surrounding Tadcaster Road. Lots of families with cameras, and youngsters bawling ‘which one is Frankel’ and suchlike. All very jolly and a big big cheer rang out as the field set off
So I think Frankel stirred the imagination of those outwith our cloistered little world to a more than is usual degree, but Red Rum he ain’t
And in the US nobody has heard of Flightline. Ask the general public to name a racehorse that ran last year and the only name that would come to mind would be Rich Strike, because he won the Kentucky Derby as a longshot (and savaged the track pony immediately after, which went viral). In order to be famous here in the 21st century a horse must either win the Kentucky Derby while being an “underdog” (Mine That Bird, California Chrome), win the Triple Crown, or be historically good over multiple seasons and a hell of a lot more races (Zenyatta). Three starts in non-Triple Crown races ain’t gonna cut it.
If they live in the midwest they might have heard of the harness racehorse Bulldog Hanover, who in order to get the slightest bit of local media coverage had to prove himself as the fastest pacer of all time and have incredibly media-friendly connections who let visitors come to the well-mannered stallion’s stall and pet him.
I believe Frankel was reasonably well known outside of racing’s parish. He did win the 2,000 Guineas which is still recognised as a famous race and his spectacular performance was picked up by the media.
He also raced for three seasons and there was the human interest angle with Henry Cecil reviving his training career while battling illness.
Baaeed did not make his debut until the summer of his three year old season, raced for little more than a year and did not win anything famous.
When people ask me my idea of the best Flat horses of all time, since November I’ve said: “On turf? Frankel – and I got to see him three times at the track. On dirt, Flightline is easily the best I’ve seen in my time following racing, but whether he is better than Secretariat was I couldn’t tell you – but he’s a great, great horse.”
So I’ve no issue with this 140 rating.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Haha, that conversation with your husband was brilliant Greenasgrass, especially “gone to seed”.
Your view seems very similar to mine. I think very few racehorses have really broken through to the wider public consciousness for decades now. That includes Frankel, though he got closer than most. Even names that would have once been recognised widely such as Red Rum and Shergar seem little known to younger adults nowadays.
The best hope for a racehorse to become well known now is for it have a film made about it or have some other claim to fame not solely related to its racecourse achievements.
Chezza’s quite surprised Tree Poppy isn’t a household name.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I adored Frankel, but that he didn’t run in th Derby or the Arc or Breeders Cup, never ran outside England, distances were restricted to 8-10 furlongs, all severely diminished his legend.
On a basic level it is a media hungry and media driven world. Orses run around in circles or straight lines or a combination of the two.If one Orse runs a lot faster than another it doesn’t alight the public’s imagination unless there is a big back story. Orses don’t talk or misbehave or cry.
Andy Murray and Gazza filled stadia with tears. Ronaldo and Roy (Keane) talk too much and talk dirty and big ears listen. The media has upped the game of what people get excited about or find interesting. A final few points; athletes and footballers often play together in groups as teams (clicks) which people attach to and feel connected to – Orses don’t do that. A story has to have blood and guts now to make the news and reporters are out there looking for it to keep their media empires on top. If Orses want to be remembered the world needs to go silent again with little going on to feed people’s appetite for simple things once more without back stories – like back in the thirties –
– or our for legged friends will need to start talking, an advancement not high on the technological waiting list.
A Chappie called Swift of forgotten first name promoted a travel book that upped the status of Orses and made them creatures of status and beauty and admiration – which of course they are -and people the world over will always marvel at them but most likely in decreasing numbers. The world web and the media are their main blockers. Happy times !I didnt follow racing at all when frankel was running, I was at university and was more interested in other things
And I knew his name due to being a big sports fan and regularly seeing his name on BBC sport
I’d say I knew the name of 4 horses in those days
Red rum, frankel, kauto star and denman
Didn’t start following horse racing until 2017
“A Chappie called Swift of forgotten first name promoted a travel book that upped the status of Orses and made them creatures of status and beauty and admirstion”
I can’t see that the Racing Post have any listing for a horse called Houyhnhnm (I’d love to hear what Jerry Hannon made of calling that one) but Yahoo did of course threaten to spoil the “narrative” when the nation’s darling Dessie won his gold cup.
Great horses but where does Blackbeard figure in all this
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
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