Definite Article (horse)

On his racecourse debut, Definite Article started the 4/6 favourite for a maiden race over eight and a half furlongs at Galway Races on 6 September and won by a length from Metastasio.[10] Eleven days later the colt was dropped back in distance and moved up sharply in class to contest the Group 1 National Stakes over seven furlongs at the Curragh and started the 4/1 second choice in the betting behind his stablemate Desert Style (third in the Phoenix Stakes). The other three runners were Manashar, Elegant Victor and Suga Hawk and with no previous Group race winners on show, the field appeared to be a substandard one. In a closely contested finish Definite Article prevailed by half a length from Manashar, with Desert Style and Elegant Victor close behind in third and fourth.[11]

On his first appearance as a three-year-old, Definite Article was tried over ten furlongs in the Listed Silver Stakes at the Curragh on 27 May and started at odds of 4/1 in an eight-runner field. He won the race by two lengths from the odds-on favourite Shemaran (runner-up in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial), to whom he was conceding seven pounds in weight.[12] In the Irish Derby over one and a half miles at the Curragh on 2 July Definite Article attempted to defend his unbeaten record and started 5/1 joint second favourite behind Celtic Swing. After being restrained by Kinane in the early stages he produced a sustained run on the outside in the straight to take the lead a furlong out but was caught on the line by the rally of the French-trained Winged Love and was beaten a short head in a photo finish. Annus Mirabilis took third ahead of Oscar Schindler and Classic Cliche with Celtic Swing finishing eighth.[13]

Later in July the colt was sent to Germany and matched against older horses for the first time in the Group 1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen over 2000 metres at Munich. He raced in third place for most of the way but was unable to quicken in the straight and finished fourth behind the filly Germany. Definite Article returned to Ireland for the Irish Champion Stakes over ten furlongs at Leopardstown Racecourse in September and started 6/1 third favourite behind Pentire and Hernando. He made steady progress in the straight but never looked likely to win and came home fourth behind Pentire, Freedom Cry and Flagbird, beaten two and a half lengths by the winner.

Definite Article began his third campaign in the Listed Mooresbridge Stakes over ten furlongs at the Curragh on 27 April and started the 4/9 favourite against five opponents headed by the Glencairn Stakes winner Al Mohaajir. After being held up by Kinane in the early running he took the lead entering the last quarter mile and won by three-quarters of a length from Al Mohaajir, with I'm Supposin a length away in third.[14] A Month later, over the same course and distance, the colt started 15/8 favourite for the Group 2 Tattersalls Gold Cup. His seven opponents on this occasion included Timarida, Annus Mirabilis, Al Mohaajir and River North (Aral-Pokal). He raced in third place before moving upon the outside to take the lead two furlongs from the finish. He stayed on well in the closing stages to beat Timarida by a length with a gap of three lengths back to Annus Mirabilis in third.[15]

In July Definite Article raced in England for the first time and started 7/2 third favourite for the Eclipse Stakes over ten furlongs at Sandown Park. He was among the early leaders but faded in the last quarter mile and finished fifth of the seven runners behind Halling. In the Grosser Preis von Baden on 1 September, on what proved to be his last race in Europe, the colt finished fourth behind Pilsudski, Germany and Sunshack. For his final race Definite Article was sent to the United States and came home sixth of the ten runners behind Diplomatic Jet in the Turf Classic Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park on 5 October.