Andy Newton
This Saturday’s well-fancied Epsom Derby runners, Benvenuto Cellini and Item, are both sired by Frankel – but has the former Sir Henry Cecil-trained colt ever sired the winner of the English Classic?
Has Frankel Ever Sired the Epsom Derby Winner?
Yes.
The legendary Frankel, who won all 14 of his horse racing career starts, has sired one Epsom Derby winner to date.
That horse was Adayar, who landed the Derby in 2021 for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin.
The Godolphin colt became Frankel’s first winner of the world’s most famous Classic, handing the champion stallion a landmark success at Epsom.
The victory carried extra significance too.
Frankel had already gone close through several high-class performers, including Cracksman, Eminent and Hurricane Lane, but none had managed to capture the Derby itself.
Adayar finally broke that barrier in 2021, providing Frankel with his first Derby winner. Frankel also sired the third-placed Hurricane Lane in the same running.
While since Adayar’s win in 2021, Frankel has seen two more of his offspring go close – Westover (3rd, 2022) and Ambiente Friendly (2nd 2024).
Frankel’s Best Derby Results as a Sire
- 2017: Cracksman (3rd)
- 2017: Eminent (4th)
- 2021: Adayar (1st)
- 2021: Hurricane Lane (3rd)
- 2022: Westover (3rd)
- 2024: Ambiente Friendly (2nd)
As things stand, Adayar remains Frankel’s sole Epsom Derby winner.
However, the stallion has also produced a host of top-class Classic performers, including Oaks winner Anapurna and St Leger winner Logician.
Did Frankel Race in the Epsom Derby?
Interestingly, Frankel himself never contested the Derby.
Despite producing one of the most spectacular 2,000 Guineas victories in history, trainer Sir Henry Cecil elected to keep him to shorter distances rather than test him over Epsom’s demanding mile-and-a-half trip.
The furthest Frankel raced successfully was 1m2½f when he won the Juddmonte International at York in 2012.
2026 Epsom Derby Runners Sired by Frankel
This year, four Frankel colts are set to line up in the 2026 Epsom Derby.
Heading the quartet is Derby favourite Benvenuto Cellini, trained by Aidan O’Brien.
Benvenuto Cellini was last seen winning the Chester Vase, the same trial race won by last year’s Derby hero Lambourn, and he will be attempting to give O’Brien a remarkable twelfth Derby success.
Another leading contender is Item, who impressed when winning the Dante Stakes.
The unbeaten colt heads to Epsom having won all three of his starts and will be looking to provide trainer Andrew Balding with a first Derby victory.
The other two Frankel representatives in the field are Ancient Egypt and Action, meaning four sons of Frankel will take their chance in the race.
Frankel’s 2026 Derby Runners
- Benvenuto Cellini
- Item
- Ancient Egypt
- Action
Frankel: Racing Profile, Major Wins and Records
Frankel is widely regarded as one of the greatest racehorses of the modern era.
Trained by the legendary Sir Henry Cecil for Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte operation, the son of Galileo retired unbeaten after winning all 14 of his career starts between 2010 and 2012.
Epsom Derby Runners 2026 and Betting Odds
- Benvenuto Cellini 2/1 (Aidan O’Brien)
- Item 10/3 (Andrew Balding)
- Pierre Bonnard 5/1 (Aidan O’Brien)
- Maltese Cross 9/1 (William Haggas)
- James J Braddock 10/1 (Joseph O’Brien)
- Bay Of Brilliance 14/1 (Ralph Beckett)
- Ancient Egypt 16/1 (Charlie Johnston)
- Action 20/1 (Aidan O’Brien)
- Christmas Day 25/1 (Aidan O’Brien)
- Balzac 150/1 (Jane Chapple-Hyam)
- Poker 200/1 (Karl Burke)
- Rebel Rocker 200/1 (Faye Bramley)
- A Taste Of Glory 250/1 (Andrew Balding
- Alderman 250/1 (Richard Hannon)
Note: Odds listed are subject to change
Frankel: Key Facts
- Foaled: 11 February 2008
- Sire: Galileo
- Dam: Kind (by Danehill)
- Trainer: Sir Henry Cecil
- Jockey: Tom Queally
- Race Record: 14 runs, 14 wins
- Career Earnings: £2,998,302
Major Wins As a Two-Year-Old (2010)
- Royal Lodge Stakes (G2)
- Dewhurst Stakes (G1)
Major Wins As a Three-Year-Old (2011)
- 2,000 Guineas (G1)
- St James’s Palace Stakes (G1)
- Sussex Stakes (G1)
- Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1)
Major Wins As a Four-Year-Old (2012)
- Lockinge Stakes (G1)
- Queen Anne Stakes (G1)
- Sussex Stakes (G1)
- Juddmonte International Stakes (G1)
- Champion Stakes (G1)
Frankel Records
- Retired unbeaten after winning all 14 career starts.
- Awarded a Timeform rating of 147, the highest ever issued by the organisation.
- Rated the world’s best racehorse by the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings.
- European Horse of the Year in both 2011 and 2012.
- Produced one of the most dominant Classic performances of modern times when winning the 2,000 Guineas by six lengths.
- Has gone on to become one of the most influential stallions in world racing, siring Derby winner Adayar, St Leger winner Hurricane Lane, Arc heroine Alpinista, Oaks winner Anapurna and numerous other Group 1 performers.
Where Does Frankel Stand at Stud (and 2026 stud fee)?
Following his retirement at the end of the 2012 season, Frankel began his stallion career at Banstead Manor Stud, Juddmonte’s flagship breeding operation in Cheveley, near Newmarket, where he remains based today.
For the 2026 breeding season, Frankel’s stud fee has been set at £350,000 (Special Live Foal terms), maintaining his place among the most expensive and sought-after stallions in the world.
His fee reflects an extraordinary stud career that has seen him become:
- A multiple-time leading sire in Britain and Ireland
- The sire of dozens of Group 1 winners across the globe
- One of the most commercially valuable stallions in the global Thoroughbred industry
Today, Frankel remains the flagship stallion on the Juddmonte team and continues to attract top mares from around the globe, further cementing his reputation as one of the most influential bloodstock sires of the 21st century.
