As the first Classic contenders by Without Parole prepare to run in 2025, we wanted to highlight this outstanding article by Martin Stevens from the Racing Post’s Good Morning Bloodstock email in our website news.

“Smart, straightforward and stamina-blessed, this freshman sire’s runners are catching the eye…

Without Parole is the latest first-season sire in Europe to show his hand. The son of Frankel has no black-type performers yet, but he is delivering winners at a decent strike-rate, and good winners too. He is also making his name on the international stage.

Without Parole got off to a fine start by posting a first winner in the middle of May, before some of his seemingly sharper peers, when Mr Chaplin eased to a three-length victory in a 20-runner Newbury maiden for Ralph Beckett. 

The 120,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling graduate ran down the field in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on his next start but got back on the winning trail in a competitive nursery at Glorious Goodwood last Thursday. He looked unlikely to win for most of the contest, as he was surrounded by a wall of horses in the rear of the field, but he put his head down and stayed on resolutely to record a neck victory over stablemate Original Outlaw.

Without Parole’s next winner was Fiery Lucy, who streaked clear in a hotly contested six-furlong Irish EBF auction series maiden at Fairyhouse in June on her second start for Gavin Cromwell, who bought her with Kevin Ross for just 38,000gns from Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. 

She has trodden a similar path to Mr Chaplin, in that she was also uncompetitive in Group 2 company on her next outing – the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket in her case – but then put in a highly creditable effort in a non black-type race that will have reassured connections that she is indeed smart. 

She found only Duchess of Cambridge Stakes third Heavens Gate too good in the lavishly endowed Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas on Monday, getting much closer to the Ballydoyle filly than she did at Newmarket. Again, like Mr Chaplin, she looks a straightforward soul, and kept trying all the way to the line.

Fiery Lucy’s Racing Post Rating had not been reassessed at the time of writing, but both she and the 96-rated Mr Chaplin will likely have black type-standard figures even if they don’t have the black type itself.

Without Parole’s third winner Liberty Bird had shown little on her first three starts for Charlie Johnston before she got off the mark at the fourth attempt in a seven and a half-furlong maiden at Beverley. It wasn’t the strongest race, and she has since been beaten in a lowly Carlisle nursery (albeit she was hampered at the start), but she still rates as a good advertisement for her sire as she cost a mere 16,000gns as a yearling and did at least give her all when she won.

Ruff Justice, who became winner number four for Without Parole when she stormed home to win a six-furlong Yarmouth maiden by more than two lengths on her second start for Warren Greatrex, is another excellent ambassador. She followed that up by keeping on determinedly to take a Windsor nursery over the same trip, again by clear water.

The admirably genuine filly cost just 9,000gns as a yearling at Book 3 and 25,000gns in the same ring at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale.

Lady Justice, another inexpensively sourced filly, became Without Parole’s fifth winner by swooping past just about every rival to win a seven-furlong maiden at Epsom on debut for Stuart Williams. The 20,000gns Book 3 purchase finished sixth on her next start at Yarmouth, but she didn’t have the best run and she did at least maintain her effort all the way to the winning post.

Without Parole conquered a new frontier with his next winner Without Caution, who bore down on his rivals to take a maiden special weight over a mile and half a furlong on the turf at Saratoga last month. He is trained by Cherie DeVaux for the sire’s owner-breeder John Gunther, and hails from the family of connections’ breeding masterpiece Justify.

The Bloodhorse’s write-up of Without Caution’s victory might sound eerily familiar after reading how the sire’s British and Irish representatives have performed: “He raced professionally, unintimidated while running among horses and responding willingly when Jose Lezcano urged him at the eighth pole.”

So it was once again with Parole D’Oro, the seventh and most recent winner for Without Parole (up to Monday). The 62,000gns Book 2 buy defied 28-1 odds to finish second to subsequent Vintage Stakes fourth Tiger Mask on debut for Michael Bell at Ascot last month, and went one better on his next start in a seven-furlong Epsom novice stakes, sticking on well to score by a length and a quarter after racing in the vanguard.

Interesting that the sire has put two winners at Epsom on the board. It says something about his stock’s levelheadedness and athleticism that they are able to cope with the twists and turns of the notoriously idiosyncratic course. Something he has in common with his sire Frankel and paternal grandsire Galileo, of course.

Without Parole’s seven winners worldwide up to Monday came from 19 runners, at a clip of 38 per cent. However, it isn’t the bare numbers from his early results that have really impressed so much as the manner in which they have been achieved.

Many of his starters, not all bluebloods in big stables, appear to possess a pleasing blend of tactical speed and stamina where it matters, travelling easily and running down rivals in the closing stages of races. They seem enthusiastic and uncomplicated, which will stand them in good stead with trainers, who love triers.

It remains to be seen whether Without Parole’s progeny also have the requisite class for them to perform well in Pattern races, in order for the sire to make it into the major league, but their courage and finishing kick should stand them in good stead as they step up in grade.

Furthermore, Without Parole has already outperformed expectations with his early freshman exploits, so there’s no reason he can’t continue to do so.

His stock wouldn’t have been expected to be so precocious when he is by Frankel, whose two-year-olds tend to shine from the summer onwards. In fact, he made a winning debut in the December of his juvenile season himself, before landing the St James’s Palace Stakes at three and finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at four.

His high-class half-siblings Tamarkuz and She’s Got You also got better with age, while his unraced dam Without You Babe’s sire Lemon Drop Kid tended to get runners who progressed well.

Without Parole wasn’t the best supported freshman of 2021, either, covering 74 mares, only six of whom were black-type, in his first year standing at a fee of £10,000 at Newsells Park Stud. He did cover a larger book in his second season, though, which was perhaps a small early clue that he was getting attractive foals.

His bright start should increase demand for the yearlings who resulted from those sophomore matings. To begin with, he has three lots on offer in Goffs UK Premier, one catalogued for BBAG and four in Tattersalls Somerville. They don’t all have the ritziest pages, but then neither do some of his first few winners, so there might be bargains to be had if buyers are prepared to believe he can upgrade his mares.

Frankel’s reputation as a sire of sires has also been enhanced. His first son to stud in Europe, Cracksman, managed to get an unbeaten champion in Ace Impact in his debut crop, and now his second, Without Parole, is showing distinct signs of promise too. 

It doesn’t make Frankel’s more recently retired sons Chaldean, Mostahdaf and Triple Time, different horses with differing abilities and ancestors, any more likely to succeed, but it will make them more marketable.

How nice it is, by the way, to write about the prowess and potential of a first-season sire who has a ‘proper’ pedigree and progeny who promise to be better for a step up in trip and more winters on their back. His covering services and commercial untried stock are eminently affordable, too. For now, at least.”

Racing Post, Good Morning Bloodstock email, 7/08/24