American trainer Frankel dies aged 68

Legendary American trainer Bobby Frankel has died at his home in California aged 68 after a long battle with leukaemia.

He was one of the most decorated members of his profession as a Hall Of Famer and five-time champion US trainer who landed the world record amount of most Grade or Group One victories in a single season.

Robert Frankel was born in New York on July 9, 1941 and started off with lowly horses in 1966 before swapping to the West Coast scene, dominating for many years at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita.

Frankel won the 2003 Belmont Stakes with Empire Maker and had six Breeders' Cup winners including 2004 Classic winner Ghostzapper. He was known in Britain for taking over the training of many of Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms horses.

During his illness, he was still running his stable by telephone.

According to US racing website www.bloodhorse.com, Frankel's ex-wife Bonita and his daughter Bethenny were at his side.

Juddmonte Farms racing manager Garrett O'Rourke said Frankel had recently returned home from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and was "very lucid and aware of his fate".