Frankel stallion, Frantastic, has 50 mares waiting to be served at Suzette and Basie Viljoen’s Hopes and Dreams Stud.
His arrival from the quarantine station in George is expected on or about 18 September.
Frankel’s son Frantastic (Pic – Supplied)
Suzette Viljoen is spending most of her time at the family’s Wellington farm these days. They have prepared a stable and paddock for Frantastic, their fledgling operation’s first stallion prospect.
She said: “We are super excited about him, we can’t wait. His food is already prepared. We’ll be sending him 40 of our own mares and he’s had 10 mare bookings from outside breeders. A few mares have already arrived. He’ll get several more. There are breeders who would like to see him in the flesh.”
Reports from the quarantine station is that Frantastic arrived from Johannesburg on 30 August for his required 14-day spell at the facility.
Quarantine master Caroline Berman said he walked off the float as if he hadn’t travelled at all.
Berman told: “He travelled through all the way, there were no stopovers. He stepped off relaxed and calm, which is unusual after such a long trip, ate up and settled in quick. He’s spent his days here walking in the paddock between 8am and about 4pm, getting enough exercise.”
Berman said that Frantastic had picked up weight. “He eats anything and cleans up his manger. He is a true gentleman with no fuss and frills. He has a beautiful temperament, likes to put his head on my shoulder. His demeanour is calm and professional, the Viljoens can look forward to his company.”
Frantastic is a full-brother to joint 2018 World Champion, four-time Group 1 winner and now red-hot sire, Cracksman, and was also trained by John and Thady Gosden.
He won at 2 and 3 years of age and twice from seven runs, over 1600m and 2000m respectively, before incurring a career-ending injury. He won on the all-weather and on turf, proving his versatility. He could have been anything had he stayed in training.
The majestic Frantastic (Pic – Supplied)
He’s a beautifully conformed, imposing horse who descends from the greatest female line of the modern era.
Frankel himself is referred to as ‘world class, the world over’. He sired his 100th Group/Graded winner midway through August when two-year-old filly Lake Victoria won the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket. He achieved this feat in a record time of 3144 days, ahead of Danehill, Deep Impact, Galileo and Dubawi.
Frankel has an incredible 12% Group winners to runners and 18% black type winners to runners.
He had a Group 1 winning two-year-old and a Classic winner in his first crop, and was the champion sire in Europe in 2021.
He has been a Top 5 contender in Europe every year, and is presently second only to Dubawi on the European sires list for black-type winners.
