JUDGING by the market’s reaction to the second-crop yearlings by dual champion Cracksman, they both liked what they saw on the ground, and were hugely encouraged by the start the sire made with his first runners.
The first juveniles by Cracksman included the Group 2 Premio Dormello winner Aloa, the Listed Star Stakes winner Dance In The Grass, and the stakes-placed Crackovia. Given their sire’s rapid progression from two to three, it can be expected with confidence that better is to come.
The best son of undefeated champion Frankel (Galileo), Cracksman was a European champion at three and four, yet he stands at Sheikh Mohammed’s Dalham Hall Stud at a very attractive fee of £17,500. His sire commands £275,000. Though Cracksman was not unbeaten, he won eight of his 11 starts, including four Group 1 events, and was second twice and third once in Group 1 races.
Cracksman raced once as a two-year-old, comfortably winning a maiden race at Newmarket. He started his next season by beating Permian in the Derby Trial Stakes at Epsom. Having only his third outing in the Derby itself, he was third, beaten only a length by Wings Of Eagles, but took his revenge a month later in the Irish Derby, but he was beaten a neck by Capri. These were Cracksman’s only defeats in 2017.
In the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, Cracksman turned the race into a procession and came home six lengths clear, before going to Chantilly and winning the Group 2 Prix Niel by three and a half lengths. He set the seal on a remarkable season in the Group 1 Champion Stakes, romping home seven lengths ahead of top-class performers Poet’s Word and Highland Reel. Cracksman was the champion three-year-old colt on 130.
Remaining in training at four, Cracksman was again a world champion, sharing top spot on 130 with the brilliant Australian mare Winx. He won the Group 1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp by four lengths, the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom, before finishing second to Poet’s Word in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, with Hawkbill eight lengths away third. Cracksman returned to his best form on his final outing, winning the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot for the second time, six lengths ahead of Crystal Ocean.
Cracksman is the best of the 108 blacktype winners sire by Frankel, also a winner of the Champion Stakes, as well as the 2000 Guineas and the Juddmonte International. Cracksman is a half-brother to the Group 3 Solario Stakes hero Fantastic Moon (Dalakhani), out of the Pivotal (Polar Falcon) mare Rhadegunda, who won the Listed Prix Solitude in France.
Cracksman’s third dam On The House (Be My Guest) won the 1000 Guineas and this is also the family of champion Golden Horn (Cape Cross), winner of the Group 1 Derby and the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Race record
CRACKSMAN (GB), Bay 2014. Champion 3yr old colt in Europe in 2017. Champion older horse in Europe in 2018. Won eight races, £2,793,063, from 1 mile to 1½ miles, 2 to 4 years including, Investec Coronation Cup, Epsom Downs, Gr.1, P.Ganay L’Inauguration de Parislongchamp, Parislongchamp, Gr.1, Qipco Champion Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1 (twice), Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes, York, Gr.2, Qatar Prix Niel, Chantilly, Gr.2, also placed second in Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, Curragh, Gr.1, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, and third in Investec Derby Stakes, Epsom Downs, Gr.1.
At stud
Retired to Stud in 2019, and sire of the winners of 30 races, and £433,218, including ALOA (GB), DANCE IN THE GRASS (GB), and Crackovia (GB)
Information
Stands at: Dalham Hall Stud, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 9HE, England
Contact: Liam O’Rourke, Sam Bullard, Dawn Laidlaw, David Appleton or Jack Bloom
Telephone: +44 1638 730070
Email: hello@darley.co.uk
Web: www.darleystallions.com
Fee: £17,500