Frankel's phenomenal start boosts covering fee to £175,000

The phenomenal start Frankel has made with his first two crops of runners has seen his covering fee at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud increased to £175,000 for the 2018 breeding season.

Frankel has sired two top-level winners, with Soul Stirring landing the Grade 1 Japanese Oaks back in May and Cracksman delivering arguably the most impressive performance of the season in the Group 1 Champion Stakes.

His first two crops have included 43 winners, which have been delivered at a remarkable winners-to-runners strike rate of 57 per cent, while 31 of his progeny have made their mark at stakes level.

As well as three-year-olds such as Eminent, who landed the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano, and Darley Club Stakes winner Monarchs Glen, the son of Galileo has enjoyed another fruitful year with his two-year-olds, with Elarqam, Nelson and Rostropovich all landing juvenile Pattern races.

"Frankel has had a sensational start with his first two crops, and 2017 has seen him described as being one of the most elite sires in the Northern Hemisphere," said Banstead Manor stud director Simon Mockridge. "His strike rate of 12 per cent Group winners to foals is remarkable, and his 2014 crop has produced 13 Group winners so far, a number matched only by Galileo in the Northern Hemisphere.

"A quarter of Frankel's runners to date have won black type. His 2017 season began with a Classic winner in Japanese Oaks winner Soul Stirring, and closes with the stunning performance of Cracksman - officially now the highest-rated horse in Europe - in the Group 1 Champion Stakes."

Such racecourse success has also seen his progeny in high demand in the sales rings of Europe, with Sackville Donald going to 2,500,000gns for a Frankel half-sister to Oaks winner Talent at Tattersalls Book 1, while Justin Casse topped the Goffs Orby Sale at €1.6 million for a colt out of Belesta.

Frankel's five best performers by Racing Post Ratings (RPRs)

Another exciting young sire at Banstead Manor is Kingman, whose first crop will turn two in 2018. The four-time Group 1 winner will stand his fourth consecutive season at £55,000 next year.

"Champion miler Kingman's first crop of yearlings was extremely well-received at the sales, and the list of buyers proved they had great international appeal," said Mockridge. "He has covered extremely high-class books of mares since retiring to stud and we are looking forward with confidence to his first two-year-olds hitting the track in 2018."

Among his yearlings are a filly out of Justlookdontouch bought by Moyglare Stud for 1,700,000gns and a half-sister to Derby hero Wings Of Eagles bought by Meridian International and David Redvers for €750,000.

The other Juddmonte sire receiving a fee increase for 2018 is Bated Breath, who has made a big impression with his early runners such as Beckford, with the son of Dansili returning to £10,000.

"Bated Breath continues to outperform his sire Dansili by Group performers and black type winners at a comparable stage in their career," noted Mockridge. "In 2017 Bated Breath has sired over 50 winners of 75 races to date, with seven individual black type performers highlighted by exciting two-year-olds Beckford, Landshark and Gavota."

His progeny have also enjoyed their share of success during this year's yearling sales, with his British and Irish yearling average standing at 45,585gns for horses bred at a fee of just £10,000, while a colt out of Night Sphere topped the Goffs UK Premier Sale at £270,000 when bought by Joe Foley.

Banstead Manor stalwart Dansili remains the second-most expensive sire on the roster at £65,000, while Oasis Dream has been clipped into £30,000.

"Dansili remains one of the most accomplished stallions in the studbook," said Mockridge. "He has sired Group 1-winning two-year-olds, a Classic miler, an Arc winner and two Breeders' Cup winners, and has been leading sire at Royal Ascot on three occasions. He will be available at £65,000 to a restricted book in 2018.

"Oasis Dream has produced more Group 1 winners, Group winners and black type winners than any other stallion from the Green Desert line, including Green Desert himself. However, in this extremely competitive market we have adjusted his fee to £30,000 for 2018, which we believe offers tremendous value for a proven sire at the highest level."

Banstead Manor Stud 2018 covering fees

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