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Harbinger ranked world’s best
Jul 29 2010
A runaway 11 length win in the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes has catapulted Harbinger to the ranking of world’s best racehorse.
While many might question how one win earns that status, Harbinger’s victory was nonetheless breathtaking as he swept past the two best staying colts in Europe and just kept extending his lead to the line. The depth of the King George has come under scrutiny, with Cape Blanco a 2000m performer, Workforce coming out of a questionable Derby field and Youmzain getting to the veteran stage, but he could do no more than trounce the field he was up against.
Harbinger has now been elevated to a clear-cut favourite for the Arc de Triomphe in October and a win in that great race would have him approaching the mighty Sea The Stars as one of the greats of the modern era. It’s a long way to go to reach those lofty heights but the four-year-old is attracting the highest praise imaginable among the British press and, with some suggesting he could become one of the greatest European horses of all time.
Timeform reacted immediately to the King George win by sending his rating soaring to a remarkable 140 – six points ahead of Rip Van Winkle on 134. Fair to say, the Americans must wonder how the latter holds such a ranking after being thrashed by more than 15 lengths by the great Zenyatta in last year’s Breeders Cup Classic.
While many would argue the world rankings are fatally flawed, Harbinger is certainly an outstanding racehorse on the verge of greatness. Never mind the ratings, if he can repeat his Ascot win in the Arc, Sir Michael Stoute’s brilliant Dansili entire will earn his champion status.
Shane McNally
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