Harbinger (horse)
Encyclopedia
Harbinger is a retired thoroughbred
racehorse trained by Sir Michael Stoute
. He won the 2010 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in a track record time, and beat the previous race record set by Grundy
in 1975, albeit at the old Ascot track.
He was sold at yearling auction for 180,000 guineas
. His first season of racing was as a three year-old in 2009, where he won two of his five starts including the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. He returned as a four year-old with a win in the John Porter Stakes, which was followed by wins in the Ormonde Stakes and Hardwicke Stakes.
Those performances saw him start second favourite in the King George behind Epsom Derby winner Workforce. However, Harbinger proved to be far too good in the King George, winning by 11 lengths over a field which also included Irish Derby winner Cape Blanco, triple Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up Youmzain and Hong Kong Vase winner Daryakana. He was then made a short-priced favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and officially rated the best flat horse in the world.
Before running in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
, Harbinger prepared to ran in the International Stakes
. Harbinger suffered a leg fracture while on the gallops at Sir Michael Stoute's yard. He was subsequently retired from racing.
Harbinger is now standing at the Shadai Stallion Station
in Japan for the 2011 season.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse trained by Sir Michael Stoute
Michael Stoute
Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...
. He won the 2010 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in a track record time, and beat the previous race record set by Grundy
Grundy
Grundy may refer to:Places:*Grundy, Virginia, a town in Buchanan County, Virginia, USA*Grundy County, Missouri, a county in northern Missouri, USA*Grundy County, Illinois*Grundy County, Iowa*Grundy County, Tennessee...
in 1975, albeit at the old Ascot track.
He was sold at yearling auction for 180,000 guineas
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
. His first season of racing was as a three year-old in 2009, where he won two of his five starts including the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. He returned as a four year-old with a win in the John Porter Stakes, which was followed by wins in the Ormonde Stakes and Hardwicke Stakes.
Those performances saw him start second favourite in the King George behind Epsom Derby winner Workforce. However, Harbinger proved to be far too good in the King George, winning by 11 lengths over a field which also included Irish Derby winner Cape Blanco, triple Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up Youmzain and Hong Kong Vase winner Daryakana. He was then made a short-priced favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and officially rated the best flat horse in the world.
Before running in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
, Harbinger prepared to ran in the International Stakes
International Stakes
The International Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 88 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
. Harbinger suffered a leg fracture while on the gallops at Sir Michael Stoute's yard. He was subsequently retired from racing.
Harbinger is now standing at the Shadai Stallion Station
Shadai Stallion Station
is a thoroughbred breeding facility located in Abira on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. The farm was begun in the late 1970s, early 1980s by the late Zenya Yoshida and is now run jointly by his sons , known collectively as the Shadai Group. As of 2006, the brothers own 3,000 horses worldwide...
in Japan for the 2011 season.