Deauville double the crowning glory of a fine day for Frankel

Frankel broke new ground on Tuesday when Merovee provided the sire with his first winner in Australia – read the full story here – and a good day for the unbeaten champion got even better as he posted a Group-race double at Deauville.

After three admirable though unplaced efforts in top races, Frankel's son Eminent once again illustrated the brilliance he had shown when winning the Craven Stakes in April with an all-the-way victory in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano.

The Martyn Meade-trained colt was held up when sixth in the 2,000 Guineas and fourth in the Derby, though he raced more prominently in the Coral-Eclipse before fading to fifth.

Ryan Moore, riding Eminent for the first time, sent his charge into the lead after leaving the gates and made all to score from Sylvester Kirk's Canford Cliffs colt Salouen. Another Frankel colt, Last Kingdom, was a sticking-on fourth, while this season's Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club winner Brametot was a never-dangerous fifth.

Eminent was bred by Premier Bloodstock out of You'll Be Mine, a daughter of Kingmambo who finished third in the Fillies' Mile and is a half-sister to Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner Diamondsandrubies.

You'll Be Mine is in turn out of Quarter Moon, winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes and runner-up in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and both the Epsom and Curragh Oaks. Quarter Moon, meanwhile, is a sister to Irish 1,000 Guineas winner and Oaks runner-up Yesterday as well as Oaks third All My Loving, the dam of ill-fated dual Royal Ascot hero Thomas Chippendale.

Both Frankel's sire Galileo and Quarter Moon are by Sadler's Wells, so Eminent is inbred 3x3 to the sire. Inbreeding to the Coolmore icon has been an emerging theme of the season, as the brilliant filly Enable is inbred 3x2 to him.

Eminent may now be one of Frankel's leading lights, but he was one of the cheapest of the sire's first crop of yearlings at the sales, having been knocked down to Dermot Farrington on behalf of owner Sir Peter Vela for 150,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1, leaving only a small margin of profit on the sire's £125,000 covering fee.

You'll Be Mine has no yearling this season, as she was barren after being covered by Frankel in 2015, but she has a Fastnet Rock colt foal and was covered by Frankel again this year.

An outstanding broodmare prospect

Lady Frankel brought up the Deauville double for Frankel by seeing off Tisbutadream by a short neck with a late burst of speed in the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey, having found trouble in running and taken a false step.

The filly, trained by Andre Fabre for owner-breeder Dietrich von Boetticher, had finished third in the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte and sixth in the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary before disappointing slightly in Listed company at Maisons-Laffitte on her last start.

Boetticher has an immensely valuable breeding prospect on his hands, as not only is Lady Frankel a Group 3-winning filly by Frankel, but she is also a half-sister to Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club hero Lope De Vega – also one of Europe's leading young sires – as well as stakes winners Bal De La Rose and Lord Of The Land.

Her dam is Group 3 winner and Prix Marcel Boussac third Lady Vettori, a daughter of Vettori who has a Shamardal yearling filly and was covered by New Approach this season.

Eminent and Lady Frankel are among 11 Pattern winners to have emerged from the first crop of Frankel, along with Japanese Oaks heroine Soul Stirring and Group 2 scorers Finche and Queen Kindly. That tally does not include the sire's highest rated runner, Irish Derby second and Derby third Cracksman, who is yet to score at stakes level.

Frankel stands at Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket at a fee of £125,000.

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