Our attention is firmly on the Flat game from now on and today we're focusing on the career of Cracksman, the best son of Frankel to date.
Simply click on the links and press play to watch the videos of John Gosden's charge through his dramatic and fantastic career.
April 26 2017 - Investec Derby Trial, Epsom
Despite career form figures of 131 at the track, Epsom clearly wasn't the ideal course for Cracksman, who had looked a massive talent in waiting when winning on his sole outing at two and returned as odds-on favourite for his three-year-old debut. It was a close run thing as the tough and quality Permian almost pinched it, but Cracksman had the requisite class to reel in the Johnston horse close home and score by a short-head.
August 23 2017 - Great Voltigeur Stakes, York
Defeat in the Investec Derby (3rd) and Irish Derby at the Curragh (2nd) followed but the much-vaunted son of Frankel was back on song with a resounding success in the Great Voltigeur. That had people dreaming of a crack at the Arc and it still looked likely after he won a traditional prep for the French contest (Prix Niel) in commanding fashion. But John Gosden and Khalid Abdullah also had a certain Enable in the mix and it was decided the three-year-old would have to wait for Champions Day...
October 21 2017 - QIPCO Champion Stakes, Ascot
The wait proved to be well worth it as Cracksman destroyed the field in rain-soaked conditions on his first public appearance at Ascot. Dropping back in trip to 10 furlongs, he was never far off the pace under Dettori and had the race in safe keeping from the time he took up the running around two furlongs from the finish.
June 1 2018 - Investec Coronation Cup, Epsom
2018 started in the perfect manner with an odds-on win in the Ganay and he was 2/7 favourite to mop up the Coronation Cup en route to Royal Ascot. But he didn't break on terms (Gosden later claimed the horse crashed his head on the stalls) and looked in troubling turning in before his innate ability just about got him out of trouble, eventually grinding down Salouen to win by a neck.
October 20 2018 - QIPCO Champion Stakes, Ascot
Cracksman wasn't anything like his best at the Royal meeting where he sweated up badly and didn't travel with his usual fluency on the lightning-quick summer ground. It was back to the drawing board to some extent and a four-month break ensued, leaving plenty to wonder if we'd ever see him in action again. That we did as he lit up Champions Day for the second year in succession, matching the bare form of his previous victory in the race with a stunning, six-length defeat of Crystal Ocean. The perfect swansong.
Fast Results
Scores
