JAPAN'S SHADAI FARM ACQUIRES HARBINGER

Harbinger
(Photo : Racing International)

JAPAN SWOOPS : THE REST WALLOW

We all know it, the Japanese brought us Toyota, Nissan and Sony, and Shadai Farm gave us Sunday Silence. We’re more interested in horses though, and the Sunday Silence story is a compelling one. As good as he was in earning himself the status of America’s Horse Of The Year, when it came to his retirement to stud, Sunday Silence was blacklisted by American breeders.

It was said that he was too slight, too light of bone, it was said he was crooked in the knees and trailed his hocks. In fact, he was condemned for every possible reason, despite the fact that he was the best horse, by far, of his generation. Frustrated by the lack of appreciation his colleagues exhibited for the horse, Arthur Hancock III took the next best option: he sold the horse to Japan’s most famous breeder, Zenya Yoshida of Shadai Farm. The Japanese have an appreciation for a horse with the stamina to go 2400m, and the ability to beat all-comers, whatever his make or shape.

History tells us this was one of breeding’s most successful gambles, and Sunday Silence went on to wow the rest of the world with a succession of exceptional performers. They ran at two, they ran short and long, they ran on the turf and the dirt, and they excelled at home and abroad. There were simply no limits for the Sunday Silences, and those of us who have them, should cherish the moment. Summerhill’s acquisition of Admire Main in a venture with Shadai Farm is an expression of its appreciation of this great stallion’s legacy. Admire Main’s record may be uniquely Japanese, but the Sunday Silence story is universal.

This week’s announcement of the acquisition of the world’s highest-rated racehorse, once again highlighted the Japanese propensity for a good deal, as well as their appetite for risk, as Shadai Farm outpointed the world in acquiring Harbinger. After suffering a career ending injury following his emphatic win in Ascot’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr1), has been sold to stand in Japan.

According to Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s website, the deal to sell the four-year-old to the Shadai Group “values the horse as one of the highest-priced transactions in recent times”. Director John Warren explained, “There were a number of top stud farms from both home and abroad involved in the negotiations, and there was a very strong bid to keep the horse in England. Unfortunately for the British bloodstock industry, the final bid from the famous Shadai Group, where Sunday Silence stood, was far too strong to be able to compete.” Harbinger is currently in recovery following the condylar fracture he sustained to his near-fore cannon bone at the start of last month when being prepared for York’s Juddmonte International (Gr1).

HARBINGER RETIRED

Harbinger
(Photo : Racing Diary) 

HARBINGER BY DANSILI

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s Harbinger (GB) (Dansili - Penang Pearl, by Bering) has been retired, it was announced Monday. Despite successful surgery on his fractured near-fore cannon bone over the weekend, connections of the 11-length King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Gr1 winner have called time on his career.

In a statement issued on behalf of the Admiral Rous Syndicate, Racing Manager Harry Herbert said, “It is with regret that it has been decided to retire Harbinger from racing. Thanks to the professionalism of the veterinary surgeons Bruce Bladon of O’Gorman Slater and Main, Andrew Bathe of Rossdale and Partners and Antony Clements of Baker and McVeigh, the operation which was undertaken at Rossdales Hospital in Newmarket has been very successful. We are pleased to report that, thankfully, the horse is recovering well. The decision to retire Harbinger is based on the welfare of the horse, which is paramount to all concerned. The owners, for whom this is very sad, are naturally sorry that their great horse has had his racing career cut short. However, Harbinger has given all concerned the ultimate thrill at the very highest level.”

Prior to his emphatic success at Ascot, which places him at the top of the world rankings at present, Harbinger had recorded four wins at group level. They came in the 2009 Gordon Stakes Gr3 at Goodwood and this term’s John Porter Stakes Gr3, Ormonde Stakes Gr3 and Hardwicke Stkes Gr2. The latter performance, which signaled the four-year-old’s arrival in the major league, set him up for a tilt at the King George, and Herbert singled the latter two runs out yesterday.

“The highest-rated horse in the world, Harbinger won six of his nine starts and is undefeated this year,” Herbert added. “In winning the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot so impressively and then producing one of the greatest performances of all time to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes by 11 lengths in record time, Harbinger has confirmed himself as one of the all time greats.”

In total, Harbinger was the winner of six of his nine starts and over GBP770,000 in prize money.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News