Group-race double for Frankel as Westover wins Sandown Classic Trial

Frankel stepped up to his late sire's plate last year with a first sires' title and the son of Galileo has made a good start to the Flat season, with a Group-race double at Sandown on Friday courtesy of Gordon Richards Stakes victor Mostahdaf and Classic Trial winner Westover.

They are the products of two of the most powerful operations in the sport, with Mostahdaf being bred by the late Hamdan Al Maktoum's Shadwell and Westover sporting the colours his sire raced in, those of the late Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms.

The four-year-old Mostahdaf is the fifth foal out of the Listed-winning Dubawi mare Handassa, a half-sister to American Grade 2 scorer and Grade 1-placed Desert Stone.

The pair are in turn out of an unraced half-sister to Group 1-winning sprinters Pastoral Pursuits, who struck in the July Cup, and Haydock Sprint Cup scorer Goodricke.

Mostahdaf is himself a half-brother to two winners, including the high-class Nazeef, whose four stakes victories included the Falmouth and Sun Chariot Stakes for Shadwell and John Gosden in 2020.

Handassa has a two-year-old colt by Dark Angel called Mostabshir and a yearling colt by Frankel. She was covered by Kingman this term, while Nazeef had a date with Juddmonte's dual world champion and champion sire.

Watch Mostahdaf win the Bet365-backed Gordon Richards

Mostahdaf scampers to a second Group success at SandownCredit: Edward Whitaker

Westover hails from an equally fine Juddmonte family, being the tenth foal out of classy producer Mirabilis, a daughter of Lear Fan who landed the Grade 3 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile for Bobby Frankel after switching from Andre Fabre's yard as a four-year-old.

A half-sister to Prix de Diane and Prix du Moulin heroine Nebraska Tornado, as well as Prix Eugene Adam victor Burning Sun, Mirabilis has produced another Group 3 winner by Frankel in Monarchs Glen - who landed the Darley Stakes and Royal Ascot's Wolferton Stakes for Gosden - as well as the pair's winning full-brother Fabilis and half-siblings Cordial, Ruffled and Cubit.

Mirabilis has a two-year-old filly by Frankel's stud mate and Breeders' Cup Mile hero Expert Eye named Jalapa.

Full result and video of bet365 Classic Trial

The Ralph Beckett-trained Westover was providing Frankel with his 90th stakes performer overall, as well as his seventh individual stakes winner in Europe this term. He joins the likes of Homeless Songs, Wild Beauty and Nahanni as Classic candidates for the sire this season.

The racing phenomenon is responsible for the likes of world and European champion Cracksman, last year's Derby and King George hero Adayar, Irish Derby and St Leger victor Hurricane Lane, and Fillies' Mile heroine and 1,000 Guineas favourite Inspiral from 20 individual top-flight scorers to date.

Frankel's fee for the 2022 season is £200,000, an increase from last year's £175,000 off the back of his 2021 exploits.

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