All thumbs for ‘Frankel’
THE second outing of the first offspring of superstar Frankel to race in South Africa is bound to be a highlight of today’s Scottsville meeting.
Frankel fever gripped South Africa in January when the Avontuur-bred and raced Miss Frankel, a second foal of star sprinter Val De Ra, made her much awaited debut at Kenilworth and started odds on – only to run green and come out of her first public show, ‘shellshocked’ – to quote her equally shellshocked trainer Dennis Drier, at the time.
She ran 6,50 lengths behind the subsequent award-winning and unbeaten What A Winter filly, Magical Wonderland.
Miss Frankel makes her return to racing in a 1000m maiden after a 30-week break and will be piloted by Anton Marcus.
Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh told the Sporting Post that Miss Frankel has been given the time she needs: “She is in good hands with Dennis Drier and has been working well. Anton (Marcus) has been on her back a few times in work, and has thus gotten to know her. “We are certainly holding thumbs,” she said. Var’s champion daughter Val De Ra won 11 of her 13 starts, including four Gr1’s: the 2011 Computaform Sprint, the SA Fillies (twice in consecutive years 2010 and 2011) and the Cape Flying Championships.
The Equus Champion Sprinter for the 2010-11 season, her greatest moment arguably came when she beat What A Winter in the 2012 Cape Flying Championship. Miss Frankel can add to the Frankel global footprint. The unbeaten champion has had winners in England, France, Ireland, Japan, USA, Argentina, Chile and just this past week in Australia – so South Africa looks to be next!