racing_news/

Superstar Rakti Sold To Stand At Huma Park Stud
04/07/05

Rakti, one of the greatest modern-day milers and a six-time Group 1 winner, will stand at Huma Park Stud in Co Kildare for the 2006 breeding season. Huma Park Stud has reached an agreement to purchase 100 percent of the horse.

The six-year-old is to be syndicated but will race in Gary Tanaka's colours for the remainder of this year with his three principal targets being the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on July 27, the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park on October 29 and the Grade 1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin on December 11, after which he will be retired to Huma Park Stud.

He boasts a racing record that few modern-day performers could rival, earning £1.85 million (2.7 million euros) in prize money so far during his glittering career.

At three he won the Group 1 Italian Derby when trained in Italy by Bruno Grizzetti and moved to Michael Jarvis the following year, when he enjoyed Group 1 successes in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket, defeating an outstanding field that included Russian Rhythm, Alamshar and Nayef, and the Premio Presidente della Repubblica in Rome. He also finished runner-up to Nayef in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and to Falbrav in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin.

Last year he made a brilliant seasonal return when capturing the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and returned to Ascot later in 2004 to enjoy a further Group 1 victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, an effort described by the Racing Post as "a performance of complete authority." He was jointly rated the world's champion miler in the 2004 World Thoroughbred Rankings and was champion miler in the British Horseracing Board's 2004 Flat Awards.

But there was better still to come on his seasonal debut this year in the Group 1 Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May. Rakti strolled to an effortless five-length success and lowered the mile course record at Newbury by no less than 1.04 seconds. BBC television commentator Jim McGrath wrote in The Daily Telegraph that "it could well be the performance of the season." The victory prompted Rakti's vastly-experienced trainer Michael Jarvis to declare: "He's the best I've trained in 37 years."

On his most recent start, Rakti finished second to Valixir in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot at York.

Rakti, out of the Rainbow Quest mare Ragera (a daughter of the dual classic-placed Smageta), is by Polish Precedent and therefore a grandson of Danzig, the most successful modern-day sire of sires. Danzig's many successful stallion sons include Danehill, Green Desert, Chief's Crown and Anabaa.

Hubie de Burgh, joint-owner of Huma Park Stud, said today: "We are absolutely delighted to be standing Rakti at Huma Park Stud for the 2006 season. It is not often you get an opportunity to stand a horse who has won six Group 1 races (to date) and was the joint highest-rated miler in the world from the stallion-producing Danzig line. When I went to see him at Michael Jarvis's yard, I was immediately struck by his imposing looks. He is a truly outstanding racehorse with looks to match.

Marc de Chambure, de Burgh's partner in Huma Park Stud, added: "Rakti will be syndicated now although will race in Gary Tanaka's colours for the rest of the year. He has an exciting campaign ahead with his main targets being the Sussex Stakes, Breeders' Cup Mile and Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile, after which he will retire to Huma Park Stud."