Frankel. Simon Cooper

the air among Simon, Jim and Ed: they have a healthy foal, but is it a colt or filly? For at this point they have absolutely no idea. Among the blood and fluid Jim seeks out the answer. Colt! Smiles break out. Knowing nods of congratulation, for, however unfair it might seem, the possibilities for a colt seem so much more than those of a filly. Twelve minutes after her waters have broken, Kind’s foal, the great Frankel, is already a notable being.

      Soon she is up on her feet, nuzzling and licking at her foal. Kind is a good mother, recognising her foal by taste and smell. Frankel sits up, taking in his new world – horses see from the moment of birth. And what he sees is a small circle of faces, Jim, Simon and Ed, as he is cleaned and dried. But soon they retreat through the rear door to the office behind, dimming the lights to almost darkness as they go. It is time for mother and foal to bond.

As the guys relaxed with tea and one eye on the monitors after another successful birth, did they speculate that they had just delivered the greatest racehorse of all time? The truth is, and Ed admits this, no. Banstead Manor Stud breeds many beautiful colts and fillies; Frankel was one of thirteen foaled at Banstead that year. But he was more than noteworthy. Beautifully marked with strong colour. This excited Simon – from the very outset he had high hopes. The comments in the birth book show these observations to be more than just braggadocio hindsight. Let me quote in full:

      Comment: Quality colt, tall with size and scope. Adequate bone. Slight medial deviation of the left knee. Strong hind leg. Very good foal. Rating: 7+.

      In case you are wondering, 7+ is pretty much as good as it gets on the Banstead scale – nobody wants to make him or herself a hostage to fortune. After all, there are plenty of very good foals who don’t necessarily make very good racehorses. But this time, that was to prove one of the greatest understatements in the history of horse racing. It is not always bad to be wrong.

      It is coming up to 2 am as Simon heads for his bed; the night team will be on duty until he returns at 7 am. Outside the confines of the foaling unit, nobody in the world knows of Frankel’s arrival and that is the way it shall be until Prince Khalid is told. Reporting the news will be Simon’s first morning task, as across the dawn of Frankel's first day on earth and several continents, the wires hum.