Equinox
a japanese superstar
“Here is the titan of the worlds turf, he is Equinox.”
Larry Collmus
On the 16th of December 2003 at Nakayama racecourse a retirement ceremony for Equinox. He had retired a World Champion and with an official rating of 135 was the highest rated horse ever to emerge from Japan. Bred by Northern Farm and raced under their Silk Racing partnership, Equinox captured the hearts and admiration of racing across the world.
Stephen’s association with Northern Farm has steadily grown over the years and in the March of that year he was asked to shoe their intended runners for Dubai World Cup night. That consignment comprised of eight horses in total, with each one being a previous induvial Group 1 winner.
The haul included the previous two winners of the Japanese Derby, the winner of the 2022 Japanese 2000 Guineas, a Japan Cup winner, a previous winner of the Dubai Sheema Classic and Equinox the winner of the Arima Kinen and horse many felt lay claim to the title of the worlds best.
Stephen recalls;
“ I’m no stranger to working with top class horses, but never before had I worked with so many Group 1 winners on the same day. Equinox in particular stood out, he had a presence and aura about him and I was very much looking forward to seeing how he would run.”
Run he did, from the front and at a pace that seen an high class international field of rivals fall away one by one Equinox lowered the track record by over a second. Beforehand many thought he was the best, afterwards there was no doubt. This was not just a victory that would cement his position at the top of the Longines world rankings it was a performance that would mark him down as one of the great horse of our time.
Stephen remembers:
“Equinox is such a special horse, a unbelievable talented horse with beautiful looks and a kind temperament. I feel so lucky to have shod him for such a spectacular victory.”