Eminent the first son of Frankel to stand in New Zealand

Eminent, a Group 2-winning and Group 1-placed son of outstanding champion Frankel, will retire to Brighthill Farm for the forthcoming breeding season where he still stand at an introductory fee of NZ$8,000.

Raced by Sir Peter Vela in conjunction with Hubie de Burgh, Eminent won three of his 14 career starts for prize-money earnings of almost A$1 million (£546,000/€612,000).

Starting out in Newmarket with Martyn Meade having been purchased for 150,000gns by Dermot Farrington at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2015, Eminent won his sole outing at two before landing the Group 3 Craven Stakes on his seasonal reappearance at three.

He finished sixth to Churchill in the 2,000 Guineas and fourth to Wings Of Eagles in the Derby, before producing an explosive display to land the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville, making all under Ryan Moore.

Eminent supplemented that effort with a fine third behind Decorated Knight and Poet's Word in the Irish Champion Stakes.

Outside the frame in four starts as a four-year-old, Eminent was renamed He's Eminent and produced a fine display on debut for Sir Mark Todd in the autumn, finishing runner-up to Avilius in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes prior to ending his racing career at Sha Tin in April.

Eminent is currently in the process of being syndicated at Brighthill and the Eureka-based stud's principal Nick King has expressed his delight at securing the first son of Frankel to stand in Australasia.

"We're obviously very excited," said King. "It's an amazing opportunity. We were approached by his owner Sir Peter Vela, who had weighed-up a possible autumn campaign with the horse in Europe, but he decided that that would push him another year before he could come to stud.

"We're now in the process of syndicating him and have enjoyed a great response.

"It has literally only been a handful of days since this has come about and to have the likes of Cambridge Stud, Windsor Park, Valachi Downs, Haunui Farm, Hallmark Stud and Curraghmore on board already just shows you the regard in which the horse is held and what an attractive prospect he is."

A son of unbeaten Banstead Manor Stud resident Frankel, who has already produced fellow champion Cracksman and recent Oaks heroine Anapurna, Eminent is out of the Group 1-placed You'll Be Mine, who is herself a half-sister to Pretty Polly Stakes winner Diamondsandrubies.

His second dam, Quarter Moon was crowned champion two-year-old filly in Ireland in 2001 having landed the Moyglare Stud Stakes, while she hit the frame three times in Classic company the following year.

Quarter Moon is herself a sister to Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Yesterday, making Eminent from the family of the ill-fated Royal Ascot winner Thomas Chippendale and his Australian stakes-performing brother Renew.

King also spoke of the likely zest with which southern hemisphere breeders will latch on to the Frankel link, while emphasising the strong bottom-half of Eminent's pedigree as a potential indicator of future success in the breeding barn.

"For many people Frankel is the best horse they have seen in their lifetime and he's doing an amazing job at stud too," added King.

"He leaves beautiful-looking horses and I think when people see Eminent they're really going to be impressed.

"Obviously with Frankel you're miles ahead, but to see the first three dams are by Kingmambo, Sadler's Wells and Darshaan, they are three of the best broodmare sires in the world.

"It's a very strong female family and the race records are so strong within those bloodlines."

Reflecting on Eminent's suitability for the southern hemisphere and his introductory fee, King said: "We wanted to make him affordable and at NZ$8,000 he represents great value.

"With his international pedigree and performance and the fact he boasts a Group 1 placing in Australia, there is little doubt Australian buyers will have no trouble buying progeny by this sire. We feel he's the perfect fit for New Zealand."

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