Although he was not seen out again until easily winning over a mile at Newmarket 15 months later, he did make it all the way to the top.

The third start of his career resulted in a six-length victory over a mile at Thirsk in May of his four-year-old season and it was the first year in which he had the chance to develop a campaign.

Each of his five subsequent outings in 2012 was in Group 1 company and his misfortune was to run up against some exceptional performers.

He was third behind So You Think in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, failed by just half a length to beat Nathaniel in the Coral Eclipse Stakes, chased home the great Frankel in the Sussex Stakes and in the Juddmonte International Stakes, and then lost out in a photo to Moonlight Cloud in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

When he returned to action last May, with a four-length victory in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes over a mile at Newbury, it seemed as though this would be the year in which he could dominate, but, sadly, he got just one more chance to strut his stuff.

Six months after that first Group 1 success, Farhh signed off with a game defeat of Cirrus Des Aigles in the Group 1 Champion Stakes over 10 furlongs at Newmarket.

Farhh is arguably the best son of his sire Pivotal (by Polar Falcon), the Group 1 sprint star who has become one of Europe’s most important classic sires.

It is true that some of the sons have not yet been as notable at stud as they were on the track, but it is one who could challenge Farhh for top spot on their sire’s roll of honour who is the one who has excelled as a stallion.

Kyllachy was a top sprinter, and the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes hero is the stallion who has given us standouts such as Sole Power, Krypton Factor, and Penitent, among many others of note.

Pivotal can get top-class sprinters, milers, and middle-distance horses, and although even the most cursory of glances of the distaff side of Farhh’s pedigree makes it clear why he was never going to be a sprinter, it looks almost certain that it is his sire’s influence that enabled him to win a Group 1 over a mile.

Farhh is the first foal out of the dual 12-furlong Group 1 scorer Gonbarda (by Lando), and the blacktype winners who appear under the first three generations of his family include the Irish Derby hero Fame And Glory (by Montjeu), whose other Group 1 wins included the Gold Cup at Ascot.

When bred to the sprinter and top German sire Big Shuffle (by Super Concorde), Farhh’s grandam Gonfalon (by Slip Anchor) came up with the pattern-winning miler Gonfilia, and Global Thrill (by Big Shuffle) is another similar horse in the family.

His third dam Grimpola, who was by the top-class German middle-distance horse Windwurf (by Kaiseradler), won the Group 2 Schwarzgold-Rennen (German 1000 Guineas), but much of the family emphasis has been towards stamina rather than speed.

This blend of speed and stamina should enable Farhh to get winners over a wide variety of distances, mostly from seven furlongs and upwards, and his own two-year-old form suggests that at least some of them will show plenty of talent as juveniles.

FARHH (GB)

Race record: Winner of 5 races, over 7-10 furlongs, from 2-5 years inc Champion Stakes, Gr.1, Lockinge Stakes, Gr.1, 2nd Coral Eclipse Stakes, Gr.1, Juddmonte International Stakes, Gr.1, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, Gr.1, Sussex Stakes, Gr.1, 3rd Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Gr.1, etc.

Stud record: Retires to stud in 2014

Stands at: Dalham Hall Stud, Newmarket. Contact: Dawn, Mark, Lucie, Sebastien or Franziska on 0044 1638 730070

Email: enquiries@darley.co.uk

Website: www.darleystallions.com

Fee: £17,500 1st Oct SLF

DALHAM HALL STUD

Dalham Hall Stud, in Newmarket, is the headquarters of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s global breeding operation. The Darley brand is well known the world over and has top studs and stallions in Ireland, France, America, Japan and Australia.

Dalham Hall Stud was bought by Sheikh Mohammed in 1981 and there are currently eight stallions on the roster in Newmarket, headed by the well-established group of Dubawi (by Dubai Millennium), Exceed And Excel (by Danehill), Halling (by Diesis), and the Derby hero New Approach (by Galileo) who got the classic stars Dawn Approach and Talent in his first crop.

Halling is the veteran of the team and his list of stakes and pattern winners is headed by the Group 1 scorers Cavalryman and Cutlass Bay. Exceed And Excel, who has been champion sire in Australia, is one of the most successful shuttle stallions, and Dubawi, who was the best son of his famous sire, is one of the top sires in Europe with classic winners and a growing number of stallion sons to his name.

Kheleyf (by Green Desert) has two Group 2 winning sons at stud, and a growing list of stakes winners to his name, while the Australian Group 1 celebrities Helmet (by Exceed And Excel) and Sepoy (by Elusive Quality) have their first European foals this year.

The line-up is completed by the Group 1 winning miler Poet’s Voice (by Dubawi), whose first foals were a hit at the sales in 2013 and the newly retired dual Group 1 star Farhh (by Pivotal).