Guineas glory again for Frankel as son Chaldean stars 12 years on

Twelve years on from one of the definitive performances of modern times by Frankel in the 2,000 Guineas, the 2023 Newmarket hero Chaldean was becoming his first winner in the race as a sire.

Appropriately in the same pink, white and green silks of Juddmonte, the result also meant that the most significant member of its breeding operation is closing in on having fathered the winners of all five British Classics.

Chaldean was already one of Frankel’s 26 top-level winners around the world having claimed last year’s Dewhurst. With his game performance under Frankie Dettori, he joins Adayar (Derby), Anapurna (Oaks) and Hurricane Lane and Logician (St Leger) on Frankel's Classic roll of honour. 

Although Frankel is responsible for last year’s Irish 1,000 Guineas scorer Homeless Songs, his wait for a grand slam will have to go on for at least another year as he is without a representative in Sunday’s fillies’ Classic.

Frankel's win in the 2011 Guineas was one of history's great Flat performancesCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

At £275,000, Frankel is the second-most expensive publicly listed stallion in the world behind Dubawi, who also thwarted his defence of his title of champion British and Irish sire in 2022. He has raced past 100 individual stakes, and 50 Group-class winners in record time and Chaldean is a member of what was only his seventh crop.

Some of the family of the late Juddmonte empire builder Khalid Abdullah were on the Rowley Mile to see the race and perhaps the only unusual part of the result is that the family did not actually breed Chaldean.

The colt hails from Whitsbury Manor Stud and was one of Juddmonte’s occasional auction purchases, having cost a considerable 550,000gns as a foal from Tattersalls.

He is one of five black-type horses, along with Mill Reef Stakes winner Alkumait, out of the Dutch Art mare Suelita - herself bought for just 21,500gns by Whitsbury Manor’s Harper family. 

Chaldean's Kingman half-sister sells for 1,000,000gns to Juddmonte at Tattersalls last yearCredit: Laura Green

Juddmonte returned to the same source late last November and bought Chaldean’s half-sister by Kingman for 1,000,000gns, while Suelita was booked in to return to Frankel this year.

Prince Saud bin Khalid said he was proud of a "spectacular achievement" and added: "Our commitment in Juddmonte to horseracing at large, and the sport particularly in England, is unwavering, and I’d like to emphasise that. My presence as a representative of Juddmonte today is the testimony to this."

He continued: "Winning this race has been always exciting and enticing and I have to say we've seen the best of the horse today. I just want to thank and congratulate Frankie. I'd like to also congratulate the trainer [Andrew Balding], they've done a great job and I want to thank everyone in Juddmonte, they've done a splendid job."

Read this next:

Mammas Girl camp on the 1,000 Guineas contender