Champion UK sire Frankel has an outstanding record in Australia and had a Northern Hemisphere bred debut winner at Sandown on Wednesday that was an easy choice as the ‘One to Watch’ carrying the OTI colours to victory.
Purchased by Blandford Bloodstock at the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 for 220,000 guineas, Fretta (GB) was foaled on March 15 2020, so is still a few months shy of her third birthday.
Prepared by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr, Fretta had shown good ability in recent jump outs and was expected to run well for Jamie Kah in the 1500m maiden although gate one was seen as less than ideal.
As the race turned out, the inside gate proved a blessing as several runners ran off the course coming around the turn opening up the field to allow Fretta to charge through along the inside.
She showed her class to lengthen stride and win by three and a half lengths in a dominant display and Kah was glowing in her praise of the filly believing there is so much improvement to come.
Stable representative Ben Elam was well pleased with the filly.
“She was able to cruise along and was very good late,” said Elam.
“She might be only two, but we treat every horse the way they stand in front of us and she was ready for this race.”
Fretta has an interesting pedigree as she is from Group II winning South African mare Alderry, who was a huge success at stud in South Africa before travelling to the UK for a mating with Frankel.
Fretta is a half-sister to five winners in South Africa headed by Group I South African Derby winner Al Sahem, stakes-winner Seehaam and stakes-placed Al Mutawakel.
She is the sixth winner from six to race from Alderry.
Fretta is the 45th winner in Australia for Frankel and 13 of those winners are stakes-winners so it’s not surprising he’s a popular choice for Australian owners looking at the European market.
