BBC's Jim McGrath hailed Harbinger's unforgettable win in the 2010 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, stating he "pulled right away" from his competitors, suggesting a dominant victory. Unfortunately, an injury shortly after ended his racing career, leaving fans to wonder about his true potential.
Harbinger's rivals included Workforce, the Derby winner, who recovered to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and Cape Blanco, the Irish Derby champion, who also excelled in subsequent races. Youmzain and Daryakana filled out the top four, adding to the race's strong form.
Harbinger broke the course record and was ultimately named World Champion Racehorse that year. Despite an impressive start to his career, including a strong performance in the Gordon Stakes, he was sidelined by injury, although he found success as a stallion in Japan.
Highclere's Harry Herbert recalled Harbinger's remarkable power and noted that his exceptional cardiovascular fitness was evident post-race. The search for another extraordinary horse like Harbinger continues in the racing community.
“The Derby winner had a pacemaker, Confront, and it was a very good piece of pacemaking, but I remember watching as they turned into the straight and Olivier hadn’t moved a muscle on him, and he just exploded in the straight,” said Herbert.
“He went for a drug’s test afterwards, and I recall being told that his heart rate was almost immediately back to normal, so he obviously had an unbelievable cardiovascular system. It was a performance that you could almost show someone with no interest in racing, and they would immediately know it was something special, very rare. We are always looking for the next Harbinger, and we thought we were going to win the King George a few years after with Telescope who also won the Hardwicke, but then John Gosden added his good filly Taghrooda at the last minute, and she beat him! Moments like that King George's day are absolutely what drive you forward. If I’m ever having a bad day I just go on YouTube and type in ‘Harbinger, King George 2010’.”