Cunco emulates father Frankel with debut win
BY KEITH MELROSE 2:08PM 13 MAY 2016
CUNCO, the first son of superstar Frankel to make the racecourse, got his career and that of his sire off to the perfect start with success over six furlongs at Newbury on Friday.
An easy-to-back 7-2 shot under Robert Havlin for champion trainer John Gosden, Cunco was green in the preliminaries and through the race, but finished strongly to pick off Isomer in the closing stages.
Havlin said afterwards: "He was a bit free but relaxed into the race and I couldn't have been more pleased.
"He was where I wanted to be, but they didn't go very fast and a few just got first run on me and he had a bit to do. He took a few strides to hit top gear, but I'd say he had a few more gears left."
Referring to Cunco's coltish behaviour beforehand, Havlin added: "There was no harm, no malice and he might need that tackle later on in life.
"He'll definitely get seven furlongs and the way he relaxed you could see him getting a mile."
Long-awaited
The success had been the best part of four years in the build-up, ever since headlines were made regarding '£100 million racehorse' Frankel after his retirement from racing in 2012.
Cunco's dam Chrysanthemum, a dual Group 3 winner, was one of the 133 mares whose owners stumped up the £125,000 covering fee for Frankel in his first year as a sire in 2013.
Neither Frankel nor Chrysanthemum ran over shorter than 7f and the short-term aim with Cunco could be the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot over that trip.
In light of his performance, he was made 6-1 favourite for the Chesham with Paddy Power. Betway went a step further, offering 33-1 about him emulating his sire and winning the 2,000 Guineas.
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