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Simon Holt nearly got tongue-tied with excitement in the Juddmonte International when he mentioned St Nicholas Abbey’s name as Frankel cruised past. It sounded like "St Nicholthethus Abbey"
Frankel’s 2000 Guineas win still blows my mind. It was the sheer surprise and brutality of it that sets it apart from any other race I’ve seen.
He did but his immortal words,
"They can’t get him off the bridle!"
Will reverberate down the passage of time forever in racing folk lore.
Thanks for sppoiling today’s line Hammy!!!!
Let’s go for:
"The reputation was high but he’s going to conquer it……..!"
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Simon Holt nearly got tongue-tied with excitement in the Juddmonte International when he mentioned St Nicholas Abbey’s name as Frankel cruised past. It sounded like "St Nicholthethus Abbey"
Frankel’s 2000 Guineas win still blows my mind. It was the sheer surprise and brutality of it that sets it apart from any other race I’ve seen.
He did but his immortal words,
"They can’t get him off the bridle!"
Will reverberate down the passage of time forever in racing folk lore.
Thanks for sppoiling today’s line Hammy!!!!
Let’s go for:
"The reputation was high but he’s going to conquer it……..!"
Doh sorry.
BTW I forgot to say regarding the ‘each to their own’ thing, which of course I agree whole heartedly with, it has to be better than the wally calling the horse Francome for the first half of the race.
I must have watched the race on Youtube god knows how many times and it still miffs me.Forgot to say also that line is from the Dewhurst but I cant recall the commentator off the top of my head.
EDIT: I’ve checked who the commentator was now but I’ll leave it to someone who knows without cheating.
Incidentally Joni (Or anyone else.), is there some way of listening to the commentaries from the various channels for each of his races? One of my favourite commentaries is the aforementioned Juddmonte but on Youtube I can’t find that particular version of the race. (Only Oliver Postgate.
)I’m also desperate to see the full Channel Four racing programme from the day of his Guineas win. As I was down at the stalls taking his picture I’ve never seen it on proper TV only on my pooter screen on Youtube which is of limited quality at full screen size.
You should be able to pick up the C4 or BBC commentaries on Youtube if someone has posted them. You can get the ATR commentaries by using their archive which is free when you register or the RUK ones are on sportinglife.com.
You should be able to pick up the C4 or BBC commentaries on Youtube if someone has posted them. You can get the ATR commentaries by using their archive which is free when you register or the RUK ones are on sportinglife.com.
Cheers Ken. I’m a member of the ATR site, I’ll have a look.
You should be able to pick up the C4 or BBC commentaries on Youtube if someone has posted them. You can get the ATR commentaries by using their archive which is free when you register or the RUK ones are on sportinglife.com.
Cheers Ken. I’m a member of the ATR site, I’ll have a look.
I’ve got most of them recorded Hammy but yes the ATR site or RP site have all of them plus there is Frankel’s own website of course. I reckon there will be a DVD later this year.
Yes the Dewhurst is the correct answer. That was the first time I saw Frankel in the flesh. The 2 Year Old Race of the Century it was billed at the time. I remember driving to Newmarket feeling nervous as hell. Dream Ahead had been so impressive on the soft ground in the Middle Park and it had rained on the morning of the race. This had to suit Dream Ahead I though. As well as DA there was the unbeaten Saamid who had been so impressive in the Champagne Stakes at Donny.
I think he won that day despite doing almost everything wrong. He got bumped on leaving the stalls and raced more freely than in any other race I have seen him in. He was doing far too much in behind and TQ couldnt get any cover either. It didn’t matter. TQ let him cruise to the front approcahing the dip and he won comfortably if not being quite as spectacular as the Royal Lodge.
As was often the case in those early races, his main rivals disappointed. Dream Ahead couldn’t quicken in the ground and perhaps the race had come too soon after the Middle Park. He was beaten too far out for it to be a lack of stamina. Saamid ran no sort of race and was thereafter a most disappointing horse. Roderic O Connor turned out to be pretty good though winning 2 more Group 1 races.
It was a great day made even greater when dear old Twice Over won the las ever Champion at Newmarket. I went home with a huge smile on my face!
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
One of my favourite moments was Ian Barlett’s commentry in the 2000 Guineas, when he exclaimed in utter disbelief "but at the bushes Frankel is FIFTEEN LENGTHS CLEAR".
It still sends shivers down my spine, a moment I think any racing fan will remember forever.
One of my favourite moments was Ian Barlett’s commentry in the 2000 Guineas, when he exclaimed in utter disbelief "but at the bushes Frankel is FIFTEEN LENGTHS CLEAR".
It still sends shivers down my spine, a moment I think any racing fan will remember forever.
Agreed, I was on a stag do in Bournemouth and nipped away from the Pub to the nearest bookies with a mate. Both of our jaws dropped in disbelief.
Roll on Ascot as we are both heading there to finally (fingers crossed) see him in the flesh!
One of my favourite moments was Ian Barlett’s commentry in the 2000 Guineas, when he exclaimed in utter disbelief "but at the bushes Frankel is FIFTEEN LENGTHS CLEAR".
It still sends shivers down my spine, a moment I think any racing fan will remember forever.
Hang on KD, I purposefully didn’t mention that so as not to give Joni the hump!
It is probably my favourite too. It’s the race I believe does and forever will define Frankel. I’ve lived in Newmarket for many years and watched every Guineas for most of those years and I have never seen anything like that. It was just extraordinary. I was listening to the commentary on Five-Live on a little personal radio with three or four people standing by pestering me to know what was happening. I’d just photographed Frankel hitting the front a few strides from the stalls. I remember as he hit the halfway stage thinking that he must have cooked his own goose. No horse takes up that sort of lead at Newmarket and stays there. He surely must blow up and get over-hauled.
There are old hacks in the town who will tell you they’ve never seen the like. One bloke down to see Frankel’s gallop recently told me he was in the stands and watching through binoculars and he had to put them down to confirm with his own eyes what he was seeing. Probably the greatest race I’ve ever seen.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/ChristopherPHammond/ffj1copc.jpg
Lovely story Hammy. It really was a "I remember where I was when it happened" moment wasn’t it.
I have bored members several times with my story so if you have read it please skip ahead.
My wife had annoyingly booked a weekend holiday in Cheltenham months before the race. I was horrified when I realised I was going to miss it but could not get out of the trip as we were going with friends.
We were in Cotswold Farm Park with my baby twins. There was no TV. I was nauseous with nerves for Frankel and seriously stressed at the prospect of not even seeing it on TV. Then I had a brain wave. One of the twins was screaming and I told my wife he must be tired and that I would be happy to drive them around in the car for a while so that they could sleep and she could have a little break. She thought I was being very gracious, selfless and caring.
I had 20 minutes to get to Stow to the little bookies I’d twigged the day before. I sped through the country lanes and made it with 5 minutes to spare. The kids were fast asleep. I parked outside the shop and went into the shop (remembering to lock the car doors of course).
I then watched the most incredible classic winning performance I have seen. Like you Hammy I stood there with my mouth open, aghast at what Queally was doing. There was no way he was going to keep that up. He HAD to be caught. Horses do NOT do that and get away with it. If you didn’t know better you would have thought the horse had bolted. And yet at the same time you could see that Queally actually looked calm. He wasn’t trying to slow him down, he was just letting him gallop.
As they passed the bushes we all started to realise that he wasn’t stopping. That he was going to do it. Ian Bartlett couldn’t believe it any more than the rest of us could. Simply incredible. Audacious. We’ll never see anything like that again.
I stood there buzzing. Adrenaline pumping. It had nothing to do with the Ap bet. It was just that I had witnessed something very special. Then I remembered I had 18 month old twins asleep in the back of my car.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Cirrus Des Aigles easily won his warm up race a few days ago prior to meeting Frankel. Here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSA9EouJ_xw…
Have to say, the Champion Stakes is now starting to look a far better race than what the Arc turned out to be. Can’t wait!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S94nji2D … re=related
You know why he was gelded now.
What a lovely horse!
Today’s line:
"This is the moment! This is what makes him such a great racehorse! An instant turn of foot and horses that are top class in their own right are made to look pedestrian!!! Frankel dismisses his rivals with contempt!!"
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
This is one of those annoying threads that you just cant help yourself but to take a peak at………….
Bit like when you have a bit of Chilli pepper in something and for some strange reason no matter how uncomfortable it is to eat you have to have more!! I was actually out shopping with the Missus down Nottingham the day ‘Frankel’ won the 2000gns,I was on a tram back to the Car Park when my Brother phoned me with the commentary,unfortunately for me my Brother is the worlds worse commentator,he exaggerates something rotten or he loses your horse half way through the race finds it late on reasssures you its running on to win then doesn’t even get placed! So this is what I got…(Me,RED)..Right they’re off,Frankels out quick,his pacemaker cant keep up with him! What?,he’s bolted,Tom cant hold him,his pacemakers no where near him, HE’S BOLTED?? He’s 10 lengths clear!! **** OFF, he’s going further clear,I’ve never seen anything like it! Shut up! Honestly its unbelievable he’s flying and he aint stopping! Are they catching him yet? No he’s half the track in front and he’s not stopping,aren’t you watching it? No I’m on a ****** Tram listenin to your S*it!! Well he’s won and its unbelievable,watch it when you get home!………I did and he was word perfect………THE B*ST*RD!!Brilliant Gord!
I understand what you mean about the thread though. I feel the same when I read "The Kings Ransom"!!!!
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Bit like when you have a bit of Chilli pepper in something and for some strange reason no matter how uncomfortable it is to eat you have to have more!! I was actually out shopping with the Missus down Nottingham the day ‘Frankel’ won the 2000gns,I was on a tram back to the Car Park when my Brother phoned me with the commentary,unfortunately for me my Brother is the worlds worse commentator,he exaggerates something rotten or he loses your horse half way through the race finds it late on reasssures you its running on to win then doesn’t even get placed! 
So this is what I got…(Me,RED)..Right they’re off,Frankels out quick,his pacemaker cant keep up with him! What?,he’s bolted,Tom cant hold him,his pacemakers no where near him, HE’S BOLTED?? He’s 10 lengths clear!! **** OFF, he’s going further clear,I’ve never seen anything like it! Shut up! Honestly its unbelievable he’s flying and he aint stopping! Are they catching him yet? No he’s half the track in front and he’s not stopping,aren’t you watching it? No I’m on a ****** Tram listenin to your S*it!! Well he’s won and its unbelievable,watch it when you get home!………I did and he was word perfect………THE B*ST*RD!!- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.