Rakti
Encyclopedia
Rakti was a British Thoroughbred
racehorse, who won six Group One races in Italy
(where he was originally trained) and the United Kingdom
in a career which lasted from 2001 to 2005.
He was a big, powerful bay horse with an unpredictable and sometimes difficult temperament- his trainer saying of him, "He's a bully and he'll push you out of the box if he doesn't like the look of you".
Trained in Italy for his first two seasons, his greatest successes came after he was moved to England to be trained by Michael Jarvis
. After his transfer he was ridden in all of his races by Philip Robinson
.
, just prior to which he had been purchased by Gary Tanaka.
Although he failed to win in his remaining three starts in Italy in 2002, he had been identified as a potential champion, and was re-located to the Newmarket stable of Michael Jarvis in March 2003.
by a neck from Tigertail. His Italian form was lightly regarded and he was sent off as a 50-1 outsider for English debut, but he belied his odds with a second place in Prince of Wales's Stakes
.
After the race, Rakti was found to have sustained a hairline fracture to his ankle and was confined to his box for a month. He returned with a "consummately easy" win in the Champion Stakes
, from a field which included Alamshar
, Nayef
and Russian Rhythm
, leading Michael Jarvis to describe him as "certainly one of the best horses I've trained".
On his final start of the year he finished second in the Hong Kong Cup
to Falbrav
, the world's top-rated horse at the distance.
at Royal Ascot on his seasonal debut, beating Powerscourt and Sulamani
with what The Independent's Richard Edmondson described as "a pulverising burst of speed". He was made 13-8 favourite for the Eclipse Stakes
, but refused to settle for Philip Robinson, pulled hard from the start and then dropped from contention in the straight. "Seriously talented, seriously difficult," was Jarvis's comment.
After a fifth place in the Irish Champion Stakes
he was dropped down in distance for the one mile Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
at Ascot. Always running well, he looked "unstoppable" as went clear in the straight and stayed on to win by half a length from Lucky Story, with Soviet Song
and Refuse To Bend
well beaten. After the race Jarvis spoke of the difficulties of keeping Rakti controlled, comparing him to "an elastic band. You know he is going to snap". Jarvis also pointed out that the horse seemed to particularly enjoy racing at Ascot. Unfortunately for them, the racecourse was closed immediately afterwards for redevelopment, with the major races being rescheduled to other tracks for the next twenty months.
taking the lead after a furlong and pulling away to win by five lengths in a race record time of 1:33.59. Philip Robinson paid tribute to the horse describing him as "the best horse I’ve sat on - and I’ve been on some good ones". He was made odds-on favourite for the Queen Anne Stakes
at "Royal Ascot" (actually held at York), but his temperament caused problems as he bolted on the way to the start- reportedly being startled by a woman making "clicking noises"- and was beaten in the race by the French colt Valixir.
In September, a 10% share in Rakti was sold to the Hong Kong Breeders Club, increasing the likelihood that he would compete in December's Hong Kong Mile
.
Rakti never recaptured his best form after York, with Jarvis becoming increasingly concerened by his horse's volatile temperament. In the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
, (run that year at Newmarket), he pulled hard and led early, before fading into fourth behind Starcraft
.
Speculation about a challenge for the Breeders' Cup Mile
came to nothing and Rakti again failed to settle when finishing sixth to David Junior
in the Champion Stakes
. As expected, Rakti was sent to Sha Tin for his last race, where he ended his career by finishing eleventh of fifteen runners in the Hong Kong Mile. The horse behaved well before the race, but, according to Robinson, "he wasn't the same Rakti."
Rakti was assessed at 123, making him the ninth best horse in the world and the best miler.
Rakti was given a Timeform rating of 129 in 2004 and 130 in 2005.
beginning in 2006. He was later "shuttled" to stand in Australia, where he died at the Chatswood Stud, Victoria following a stable accident in December 2010. He made a "fair start" at stud, and sired a number of winners, but nothing of top class has emerged to date.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse, who won six Group One races in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(where he was originally trained) and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in a career which lasted from 2001 to 2005.
Background
Rakti was bred in England by the Italian Azienda Agricola Rosati Colarieti. He was sired by the multiple group race winner Polish Precedent out of the Rainbow Quest mare Ragera.He was a big, powerful bay horse with an unpredictable and sometimes difficult temperament- his trainer saying of him, "He's a bully and he'll push you out of the box if he doesn't like the look of you".
Trained in Italy for his first two seasons, his greatest successes came after he was moved to England to be trained by Michael Jarvis
Michael Jarvis
Michael Jarvis was a Thoroughbred horse trainer in England. Based in Newmarket, Jarvis trained numerous Group One winners including three winners of the British Haydock Sprint Cup. Jarvis's horses also won important races in Ireland, Germany and Italy. He kept approximately 80 horses in...
. After his transfer he was ridden in all of his races by Philip Robinson
Philip P. Robinson
Philip Peter Robinson is an English flat racing jockey.The son of Peter Robinson, a jockey and trainer, he rode his first winner in 1978 at Great Yarmouth. He was British flat racing Champion Apprentice in 1979 and 1980. One of his most famous victories was his win on Pebbles, trained by Clive...
.
2001-2002: early career
Rakti began his career with two defeats in minor events at San Siro Racecourse, Milan in October 2001, before recording his first win at Pisa in November. He then won his next five races, including victory in the 2002 Derby ItalianoDerby Italiano
The Derby Italiano is a Group 2 flat horse race in Italy open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Capannelle over a distance of 2,200 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
, just prior to which he had been purchased by Gary Tanaka.
Although he failed to win in his remaining three starts in Italy in 2002, he had been identified as a potential champion, and was re-located to the Newmarket stable of Michael Jarvis in March 2003.
2003: four-year-old season
On his debut for his new connections he won the Premio Presidente della RepubblicaPremio Presidente della Repubblica
The Premio Presidente della Repubblica is a Group 1 flat horse race in Italy open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Capannelle over a distance 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
by a neck from Tigertail. His Italian form was lightly regarded and he was sent off as a 50-1 outsider for English debut, but he belied his odds with a second place in Prince of Wales's Stakes
Prince of Wales's Stakes
The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
.
After the race, Rakti was found to have sustained a hairline fracture to his ankle and was confined to his box for a month. He returned with a "consummately easy" win in the Champion Stakes
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October...
, from a field which included Alamshar
Alamshar
Alamshar is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He won five of his nine races in a career which lasted from September 2002 to September 2003...
, Nayef
Nayef (horse)
Nayef is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse an active sire, bred in the United States but trained in the United Kingdom during his racing career which ran from 2000 to 2003...
and Russian Rhythm
Russian Rhythm
Russian Rhythm is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active broodmare who was bred in the United States but trained in the United Kingdom during a rcing career which lsted from 2002 to 2004...
, leading Michael Jarvis to describe him as "certainly one of the best horses I've trained".
On his final start of the year he finished second in the Hong Kong Cup
Hong Kong Cup
The Hong Kong Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2000 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December....
to Falbrav
Falbrav
Falbrav is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire, bred in Ireland but trained in Italy and the United Kingdom during his racing career which ran from 2000 to 2004...
, the world's top-rated horse at the distance.
2004: five-year-old season
In 2004 he won the Prince of Wales's StakesPrince of Wales's Stakes
The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
at Royal Ascot on his seasonal debut, beating Powerscourt and Sulamani
Sulamani
Sulamani is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred race horse who competed and won in Dubai, Europe and North America.A great-grandson of English Triple Crown champion, Nijinsky, he made his racing debut in April 2002 at age three and finished seventh. Racing in France, he went on to win the prestigious Prix...
with what The Independent's Richard Edmondson described as "a pulverising burst of speed". He was made 13-8 favourite for the Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
, but refused to settle for Philip Robinson, pulled hard from the start and then dropped from contention in the straight. "Seriously talented, seriously difficult," was Jarvis's comment.
After a fifth place in the Irish Champion Stakes
Irish Champion Stakes
The Irish Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:The event was established in 1976, and...
he was dropped down in distance for the one mile Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is now scheduled to take place each year in October. As of 2011, it is run on Champions Day as the final race...
at Ascot. Always running well, he looked "unstoppable" as went clear in the straight and stayed on to win by half a length from Lucky Story, with Soviet Song
Soviet Song
Soviet Song is a racehorse bred and owned by Elite Racing Club. She was foaled on February 18, 2000, sired by Marju out of Kalinka...
and Refuse To Bend
Refuse To Bend
Refuse To Bend is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse. He was owned by Swiss businessman Walter Haefner and was bred at his Moyglare Stud Farm near the town of Maynooth, County Kildare, in Ireland...
well beaten. After the race Jarvis spoke of the difficulties of keeping Rakti controlled, comparing him to "an elastic band. You know he is going to snap". Jarvis also pointed out that the horse seemed to particularly enjoy racing at Ascot. Unfortunately for them, the racecourse was closed immediately afterwards for redevelopment, with the major races being rescheduled to other tracks for the next twenty months.
2005: six-year-old season
Rakti began 2005 with a win in the Group One Lockinge Stakes at NewburyNewbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps...
taking the lead after a furlong and pulling away to win by five lengths in a race record time of 1:33.59. Philip Robinson paid tribute to the horse describing him as "the best horse I’ve sat on - and I’ve been on some good ones". He was made odds-on favourite for the Queen Anne Stakes
Queen Anne Stakes
The Queen Anne Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
at "Royal Ascot" (actually held at York), but his temperament caused problems as he bolted on the way to the start- reportedly being startled by a woman making "clicking noises"- and was beaten in the race by the French colt Valixir.
In September, a 10% share in Rakti was sold to the Hong Kong Breeders Club, increasing the likelihood that he would compete in December's Hong Kong Mile
Hong Kong Mile
The Hong Kong Mile is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December....
.
Rakti never recaptured his best form after York, with Jarvis becoming increasingly concerened by his horse's volatile temperament. In the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is now scheduled to take place each year in October. As of 2011, it is run on Champions Day as the final race...
, (run that year at Newmarket), he pulled hard and led early, before fading into fourth behind Starcraft
Starcraft (horse)
Starcraft is an Australian-owned Thoroughbred racehorse who came to international attention when he won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Newmarket in England in September 2005...
.
Speculation about a challenge for the Breeders' Cup Mile
Breeders' Cup Mile
The Breeders' Cup Mile is a Grade 1 Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up, run on a grass course. It has been conducted annually as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships since the event's inception in 1984...
came to nothing and Rakti again failed to settle when finishing sixth to David Junior
David Junior
David Junior is a retired thoroughbred racehorse and active sire, who was bred in the United States but trained in the United Kingdom during his racing career which lasted from 2004 to 2006...
in the Champion Stakes
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October...
. As expected, Rakti was sent to Sha Tin for his last race, where he ended his career by finishing eleventh of fifteen runners in the Hong Kong Mile. The horse behaved well before the race, but, according to Robinson, "he wasn't the same Rakti."
Assessment
In the 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse RankingsWorld Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities , an organization established in 2003 with headquarters in Paris, France made up of members from around the world....
Rakti was assessed at 123, making him the ninth best horse in the world and the best miler.
Rakti was given a Timeform rating of 129 in 2004 and 130 in 2005.
Stud career
Rakti was retired to stand at the Irish National StudIrish National Stud
The Irish National Stud is a Thoroughbred horse breeding facility based at Tully, Kildare, County Kildare, Ireland...
beginning in 2006. He was later "shuttled" to stand in Australia, where he died at the Chatswood Stud, Victoria following a stable accident in December 2010. He made a "fair start" at stud, and sired a number of winners, but nothing of top class has emerged to date.