Pivotal (Polar Falcon – Fearless Revival, by Cozzene) five-year-old Farhh (Pivotal – Gonbarda, by Lando) emerged as one of Europe’s top talents last season but had his day in the sun at his 2013 debut in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes (1m) at Newbury.

Farhh chased superstar Frankel home twice, in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes and Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes, in a 2012 campaign that reaped five placings at the highest level but the entire took only one outing in 2013 to become a Group 1 winner.

Farhh’s conquerors Frankel, So You Think (High Chaparral – Triassic, by Tights) and Nathaniel (Galileo – Magnificent Style, by Silver Hawk) have all started stud careers, leaving the Godolphin-owned stallion with the chance to assume a place at the top of the older brigade in Europe this year.

Silvestre De Sousa was aboard Farhh in the Lockinge Stakes, positioning the lightly-raced performer midfield before taking his mount to the front two furlongs from home. Farhh sprinted brilliantly at the two furlongs to assume control of the race before striding to a comfortable four-length win over Sovereign Debt (Dark Angel – Kelsey Rose, by Most Welcome) and Aljamaheer (Dubawi – Kelly Nicole, by Rainbow Quest).

“It is fantastic, particularly after the problems we have had over the past few weeks. It is a major boost to the stable,” Godolphin’s racing manager Simon Crisford told the Racing Post.

“He won really well and it did surprise me as he has been difficult to train and (trainer) Saeed (bin Suroor) has had to tiptoe with him but he has done that impressively.”

Farrh became the 21st Group 1 winner and 103rd stakes victor for the top Cheveley Park-based stallion. Farrh is the third of Pivotal’s stock to win the Lockinge Stakes, following Virtual (Pivotal – Virtuous, by Exit To Nowhere – 2009) and Peeress (Pivotal – Noble One, by Primo Dominie – 2006).

Pivotal’s sire Polar Falcon (Nureyev – Marie d’Argonne, by Jefferson) won the Lockinge Stakes in 1991, when the event carried Group 2 status.

Solzhenitsyn will get his chance to claim a second Group 1 win next month following his determined win in the Listed Lord Mayor’s Cup (1600m) at Doomben.

The weight-for-age event appeared a ‘two-horse race’ between Solzhenitsyn and Transporter. The duo battled all the way down the Doomben straight with Solzhenitsyn (St Petersburg – Tri Victory, by Victory Dance) defeating Transporter (Commands – Portrait Collector, by Sir Tristram) by a short neck while Epic (Stratum – Thunder Belle, by Thunder Gulch) was third, a further 1-1/4 lengths away.

“I’m glad it’s over, it was a bit exciting,” Solzhenitsyn’s trainer Robert Heathcote told Sky Racing World. “That’s what good racing’s all about. Good keen competitive racing.

“A couple of Group I jockeys aboard a couple of really good promising horses. It was a genuine weight-for-age race and he’s a genuine weight-for-age horse.

“A lovely ride from Michael and I have to give credit to (jockey) Michael Cahill. He gave up the lead and then took him on at the 600 (metres) and it was a two horse war. “

Solzhenitsyn will have his next start in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 8 at Eagle Farm.

Solzhenitsyn’s sire St Petersburg now stands at stud in South Africa. Solzhenitsyn is his only Group 1-winning son, earning $749,615 in prizemoney from 30 starts.

Malibu Moon (AP Indy – Macoumba, by Mr Prospector) colt Orb (Malibu Moon – Lady Liberty, by Unbridled) will face eight rivals in his attempt to keep his US Triple Crown hopes alive in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes (9-1/2f) at Pimlico.

Orb posted a runaway win over Golden Soul (Perfect Soul – Hollywood Gold, by Mr Prospector) and Revolutionary (War Pass – Runup The Colours, by AP Indy) in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 4 but neither of the placegetters from the ‘Run for the Roses’ is in line for a rematch with the Shug McCaughey-trained colt in the Preakness Stakes.

Grade 3 winners Departing (War Front – Leave, by Pulpit) and Governor Charlie (Midnight Lute – Silverbulletway, by Storm Cat) will take on Orb after the pair claimed the Illinois Derby (9f) and Sunland Derby (9f) respectively at their last outings.

I’ll Have Another (Flower Alley – Arch’s Gal Edith, by Arch) won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes last year before injury denied him a chance to become the first horse since Affirmed (Exclusive Native – Won’t Tell You, by Crafty Admiral) to complete the Triple Crown by also winning the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes (1-1/2m) in New York.

Below is the field for Sunday’s (Australian time) Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

COURTESY DENNIS RYAN – THE INFORMANT – He’s Remarkable, the unluckiest horse of recent times not to win a Group One race in Australasia, is set to re-establish Mapperley Stud in the stallion market.

Plans were announced this week for the outstanding son of Pentire to take up duties at the Matamata nursery, with Simms Davison, a third generation member of the family that has owned Mapperley for the past half-century, to lead the operation.

The former professional rugby player has entered into a partnership with Garry Chittick, who last year handed over the reins at Waikato Stud to his son Mark, to take ownership of He’s Remarkable and stand him this spring at a fee of $4,000 plus GST.

“I’ve been back on the farm for three years and after further development of the property I decided the time had come to stand a stallion here again,” said Davison. “It’s great to have someone like Garry behind me with He’s Remarkable. He has immense knowledge and experience and he agrees with me that we’ve got the right horse to put Mapperley back on the map.”

He’s Remarkable, a $360,000 Karaka Premier yearling purchase by astute trainer Roger James, raced in the best company throughout his career to establish himself as one of the very best on both sides of the Tasman.

In just his fourth start he pushed Jimmy Choux to a long neck in the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, an outcome that held more than a little frustration given his jockey Matt Cameron’s whip snapped on the first stroke at the business end of the Riccarton classic.

Any disappointment at that result paled alongside the feelings that followed the handsome brown’s effort in the Gr. 1 Railway Stakes in Perth a year later, when he was relegated for alleged interference after downing the local champion Luckygray.

The stewards’ findings in that A$1 million 1600-metre race made headlines throughout Australasia and remain contentious to this day. However, the nerve it touches when raised with Roger James doesn’t cloud the high regard in which he holds He’s Remarkable.

“From being a standout yearling he developed into a magnificent colt,” says James. “He was undoubtedly one of the best horses I’ve had the pleasure of training and being a fast miler with a great attitude and athleticism, he has all the attributes to make a successful sire.”

Apart from magnificent conformation, one of the factors that attracted James was a balanced pedigree, by the sire of two dual New Zealand Horses of the Year in Xcellent and Mufhasa from a daughter of Zabeel whose dam was by another champion influence in Centaine.

He’s Remarkable’s pedigree also struck a chord with Garry Chittick, given he traces directly to a mare he bought as a foundation broodmare more than 30 years ago. “At one stage I found myself with no female members of the line and had to buy back into it, but it’s been a great breed over the years and this horse is typical of the quality it produces.”

In recent times the Waikato Stud-based family has been responsible for the Group One winners Legs and Guyno as well as He’s Remarkable’s granddam, the Group Two-winning Centaine mare Arletty.

Apart from his two seconds at Group One, He’s Remarkable’s six wins included the Gr. 3 Newcastle Newmarket Handicap (1400m) in New South Wales, while he was also placed in the Gr. 1 NZ Bloodstock Insurance Spring Classic (2040m), Gr. 2 MVRC Crystal Mile and Gr. 3 Wellington Stakes.

Simms Davison is enthusiastic at what the future holds for the young stallion that will hopefully follow the lead of former Mapperley stallions such as the multiple champion Volksraad.

“With horses like So You Think, Nom Du Jeu, Dundeel, Descarado and Orange County having been reared here we know what great horse-breeding country this is, and now with He’s Remarkable we’ve got the right stallion material to add to that record.”

WESTBURY STUD RELEASE – Winning Danehill mare Dawn Almighty, better known as the mother of New Zealand’s top two-year-old Ruud Awakening, has been confirmed as one of the quality broodmares that will be visiting the recently retired All Too Hard for the 2013 breeding season.

Trained by Stephen Marsh, and owned by Albert Bosma’s Almighty Dawn Racing Syndicate, Ruud Awakening has been a superstar from day and continued to go from strength to strength eventually winning New Zealand’s richest race, the Karaka Million, before going on to win the Group 1 Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie.

Dawn Almighty has a sibling, by Bernardini, to Ruud Awakening being broken in at present and she will join her sister at the Cambridge based stable of Stephen Marsh when she is ready to begin her racing career.

Dawn Almighty is currently in foal to Westbury’s world champion three-year-old and miler of 2010 Makfi.

Not only the top rated three-year-old in Australasia for 2012-13, All Too Hard boasts one of the most exciting families in the world being a half-brother to the unbeaten world champion sprinter Black Caviar.

All Too Hard won four Group 1 races including the MRC Caulfield Guineas, the ATC All Aged Stakes, the MRC Futurity Stakes and the CF Orr Stakes, while one of his most impressive performances was a gallant second behind Ocean Park in the MVRC WS Cox Plate.