Frankel – The ultimate equine athlete

“Frankel is the ultimate equine athlete.  He’s been important because he has brought the sport from the back pages of the papers to the front pages.  Hopefully a new generation of interest he has spawned will be a fantastic legacy.”
– Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Prince Khalid Abdullah, on Frankel’s impact on racing.

“He’s the best I’ve ever had and he’s the best I’ve ever seen.  I would be surprised if there’s ever been any better.”
– Trainer Sir Henry Cecil

“I’m really proud of Frankel and we have been on an amazing journey.  I have so much belief in the horse, and I suppose that we have pushed that to the limit in the past, but he is amazing.  We lost a length at the start, but a length is nothing to him.”
– Jockey Thomas Queally

“I went down an extra 100 yards in front of the stands to let the crowd soak it all in and so I could have another 20 seconds on his back.”
– Queally on savouring Frankel’s last moment of glory on the racecourse

“I must be the only jockey to ever have punched the air when I crossed the line in sixth.”
– Ian Mongan who rode Frankel’s pacemaker Bullet Train in the Champion Stakes

“I heard that the British public were worried that we could beat Frankel.  I thought maybe that we could win but Frankel is the best.  There is no disgrace in being beaten by Frankel.”
– Corine Barande-Barbe, trainer of runner-up Cirrus des Aigles

“I am thrilled with the result.  I think that is what we all wanted.  I love the way Frankel came in, but he had to race in the end.  In the last half furlong, he was having a race.  What a great horse.”
Trainer John Gosden whose Nathaniel finished third

“I’ve never seen anything like it.  To have such a beautiful creature in our sport is fantastic.”
– Frankie Dettori who guided fourth-placed Pastorius on the Frankel phenomenon

“He’s the most incredible horse we have ever seen.  He’s just unbelievable.”
Trainer Aidan O’Brien who didn’t try to take on Frankel in the Champion Stakes.

“Frankel is racing’s Usain Bolt.  He makes it look so easy, it’s almost ridiculous.  I feel privileged to have seen him race and I have certainly never seen a better horse in my lifetime.”
– BBC Presenter Clare Balding whose father Ian trained the legendary Mill Reef

“Frankel has cost us about 5 million pounds over the course of his career.  But it’s been money very well spent as he has increased the profile of the Sport of Kings immeasurably and hopefully attracted many new fans to our amazing game.”
– Bookmaker Paddy Power on Frankel’s impact on their balance sheet