Those of you with a keen sense of breeding may want to keep an eye on an exciting, tough and versatile stallion named Honorius.
Although he's very pleasing to the eyes,
he's not just another exceptional piece of horseflesh. Named after a
Roman Emperor, this fellow was a sound and durable racehorse, winning twice as
a two-year-old and competing well into his 7th year.
Honorius won at various distances ranging from 1400m to 2000m. His sire, Holy Roman Emperor had success all over the globe, both on the racetrack and the breeding shed and his progeny have enjoyed plenty of Group 1 success in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, England, France and the United States.
Honorius is out of the Irish mare, Zarina, who also foaled South African champion and Horse of the Year, Igugu, a winner of 4 Group 1 races and 10 victories overall. Igugu was the first filly to win the coveted Triple Tierra and her four Group 1 victories made her a beloved champion among the South African racing public.
Honorius boasts a Group 3 win in the Craven Plate at Randwick (2000 meters) and 4-second place finishes in G-3 company. He ran a beautiful fifth in Group 1 Epsom, beaten less than 2 lengths to the likes of He's Your Man and Royal Descent. Honorius has amassed earnings of over $565,750 and out of 45 starts has a 4-5-4 record. He's won 9% of his races and this record can be a bit misleading.
Honorius was honest and fired more times than not. He ran into some great horses yet was always around to make his presence felt and pick up a paycheckin the process. He was a true workhorse and a tough guy, something we all love to see in a stallion. Honorius should make a dramatic impact as a sire in future racing around the world and his name will be remembered in the Australian sire ranks.
With his Group 3 win in The Craven Plate, Honorius joined a classy list of Plate winners that include Mummify, Tie The Knot, Yippyio, Ming Dynasty, Denise's Joy, Peter Pan and the great Phar Lap.
Honorius has done all his racing on turf and his offspring should have little trouble performing well over the sod in all parts of the world. He should be able to sire horses that can make an impact on the racetrack as two-year-olds and win early in their careers. As a two-year-old, Honorius demolished his rivals in the Listed Juvenile Stayers Stakes and raced 7 times that season.
He also raced until 7-years of age, proving he's a tough and durable fellow, something noteworthy in today's world of retiring horses at a young age. He's won at 1400m and has also run well at 2400m. With impeccable pedigree, strongcredentials and a habit of running on well in the later stages of a race, Honorius will prove to be a popular sire in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Europe, U.K., and Singapore.
Larneuk Stud's Neville Murdoch described Honorius as "a magic horse who is a pleasure to do anything with." Murdoch urges mare owners to note what a talented horse Honorius was on the racetrack and he feels he'll be as equally successful as a sire.
Larneuk Stud was established in 1980 and sits on 200 acres of property situated just southwest of Euroa in the heart of Victoria's Thoroughbred country.
The site has a 120 megalitre dam used for irrigation and a permanent flowingcreek. The state-of-the-art facility has everything required for broodmares to flourish as well as the healthy development of the young and growing thoroughbred. Larneuk has the true spirit for horse racing and a passion for horses and they also have a proven record of producing winners.
Honorius had his run at a steady flow of mares in his first year as a stallion, being bred to some 27 and the first foals should be on the grounds in just weeks.
Contact: www.larneuk.com for information about Honorius, his foals or any of your breeding questions.
