THE HARROVIAN ENTERS A NEW STAGE OF HIS CAREER

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Co-trainer Toby Edmonds has confirmed that The Harrovian will line up in Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield on 20 February … on the way to a run in the All-Star Mile.

The hugely popular Fastnet Rock gelding completed a comfortable trial at the Sunshine Coast yesterday signalling it was ‘all systems go’ for what could be a very big month for the connections of The Harrovian.

The Harrovian will be looking to extend and already exceptional winning sequence when he tackles the Futurity after winning no less than his last eleven starts in a row. It was not just those results that struck a chord with punters … but also the manner in which he went about achieving them.

There has been a shade of the mighty Buffering, the four times Queensland Horse Of The Year, in the Harrovian’s efforts in terms of the mental toughness and all around tenacity he shows, backed up by real ability.

The fight in the Harrovian is huge, He simply will not lie down under any pressure. He clearly refuses to let any runner get the better of him without given his all … and that ‘all’ has been too much for his opposition for some time now as it was in June 2019 that he last tasted defeat.

It is that fighting spirit that has endeared him to racing enthusiasts, particularly in Queensland, who have cheered him every stride of the way.

Having said all of that, The Harrovian is now entering new ground. The step up from Listed company to a Group 1 contest … after a two month break from action … has set a high bar, but he has absolutely earned the right to tackle that challenge.

We will all know more after that run but, all things being equal, The Harrovian will then take his place in the All-Star-Mile on March 13 at Moonee Valley, in all likelihood against the likes of Arcadia Queen (who won two Group 1’s during last year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival), Verry Elleegant (the Caulfield Cup winner), Probabeel (the Epsom winner) and Sir Dragonet (the Cox Plate winner) … amongst others.

Tasks don’t come much tougher than that … but, then again, you wouldn’t expect anything less in a $5 million race.

Whatever the outcome, from the time that The Harrovian won his battle with a life-threatening travel sickness problem back in mid-may 2018 … long before he started his run of success under his then trainer Stephen Massingaham … to the present time, it has been a magnificent journey for The Harrovian and his connections and supporters.

Whether it can be rubber stamped with a Group 1 win or an All-Star Mile triumph remains to be seen … but the one certainly is, he will give it a full go.

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