There are leading men and there are character actors and sometimes the latter are a little more interesting.
After his first race (Yarmouth, Aug. 4, 04) which was won by Wilko who had raced just 7 days before, this is the way the form notes described the (Sir) Michael Stoute-trained 2YO.....
Linngari didn't look a lot and just the chased the first two through the final furlong...
Hmmm.
He won his next start a couple of weeks later with Fallon up, and the one after that with Ryan Moore.
A couple more races and suddenly he was thrown to the wolves, namely David Junior, in Group 1 company.
While he didn't do too well, he did win the next 4 in a row and went from Haydock to Nad al Sheba, to Deauville and then to Baden Baden.
It didn't stop there..... another side trip to France before Hong Kong..... this horse has some serious frequent flyer miles.
Dubai, back to Hong Kong, France, Italy, back to France, back to Dubai.....
... and yet the name Linngari is only vaguely familiar to some.
Why is that?
Six years old and NOT at stud... this horse has won ten of 23 but there are never big headlines or multiple threads. No fanfare, no fuss... he's that rare type that the old timers sometimes talk about. A horse who races, year after year.
Good luck to Herman Brown, to the racing fans of South Africa, and to their flag bearer.
My favorite quote.....
26 Aug 2004 Lingfield -
He's a little horse with a big heart, who is going places. - Jimmy Scott, travelling head lad
Winning the G1 Premio Vittorio di Capua.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3B6rMmUlps
Hanging out in Hong Kong.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDRRqgdb_mA
http://www.sahorseracing.com/columnist.asp?col=20
http://www.agakhanstuds.com/history/...code=200200299