Harbinger, outstanding winner of the Ascot's show piece The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes has been sold for stud duties to Japan. The multimillion dollar deal values the horse as one of the highest priced transactions in recent times.

John Warren, director of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, who handled the negotiations, said "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".

The owners of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Admiral Rous syndicate grew extremely close to the horse. They would dearly have loved Harbinger, widely regarded as 'The best horse in the world', to have retired to stud in the U.K. However, he will be in excellent hands and we hope he is as big a success at stud for The Yoshida brothers as he was on the racecourse for us. It has been a privilege to have been involved with such a great horse".

Harbinger is recovering well and is a model patient. He should be sound enough to travel within a few months. The required tests for export are ongoing but at an advanced stage.