ROYAL Ascot 2023 began with a bang, as Triple Time and Inspiral delivered a one-two for Frankel (Galileo) in a thrilling Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes. Both were making their seasonal debuts, but Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s homebred son of the remarkable Mark Of Esteem (Darshaan) mare Reem Three found great resolve to deny Inspiral by a neck.

This victory meant that Triple Time became Frankel’s 29th Group 1 winner, and in what is again a sensational season, the Banstead Manor Stud sire’s 22nd individual stakes winner of 2023. Remember when Frankel himself won the Queen Anne Stakes at four by 11 lengths?

Consider for a moment the record of Triple Time’s stakes-placed dam. Reem Three is definitely one of the most successful broodmares at stud.

Triple Times is one of nine winners, six of them stakes winners, out of the mare, and he is her second Group 1 winner. The first was the Group 1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet winner Ajman Princess, a daughter of Teofilo (Galileo).

Other notable sons of Reem Three are Group 2 winner Ostilio (New Approach), Group 3 winner Cape Byron (Shamardal), and the listed winners Third Realm (Sea The Stars) and Captain Winters (Lope De Vega).

Reem Three is a half-sister to the Group 2 Celebration Mile winner Afsare (Dubawi), and he put up some notable performances overseas, being runner-up in a Group 1 in Italy and the Grade 1 Arlington Million. The third dam of Triple Time is Donya (Mill Reef), and she is the fourth dam of the 2018 Group 2 Derby Italiano winner Summer Festival (Poet’s Voice).

Triple Time’s fourth dam Dunette (Hard To Beat) died 25 years ago at the age of 22. In three seasons she won five of her 13 races and twice defeated the great Three Troikas. At three she sprung a major surprise at 50/1 to land the Group 1 Prix de Diane-French Oaks, and was rated the second-best filly of her generation in Europe in both 1979 and 1980.

At stud she produced the Grade 1 Canadian International Stakes winner French Glory (Sadler’s Wells).