Harbour (horse)

After finishing third on her racecourse debut, Harbour was entered in a maiden race over 1600 metres at Maisons-Laffitte in November. The filly drew clear of her ten opponents in the closing stages and won by four lengths from Kazatska. In their annual, Racehorses of 1981, the independent Timeform organisation described her as "the type to make a very useful middle-distance 3-y-o".[5]

Harbour began her three-year-old season in the Group Three Prix Vanteaux over 1900m at Longchamp Racecourse in April. She recorded her first important win by beating Estere with Akiyda in third. Harbour was then moved up in class to contest the Group One Prix Saint-Alary over 2000m at the same course 0n 23 May. Racing on heavy ground she started third favourite behind All Along and the Prix Marcel Boussac winner Play It Safe. Harbour won easily by four lengths from All Along, with Freddy Head never having to use his whip. The ground was heavy again on 13 June when Harbour was one of fourteen fillies to contest the Prix de Diane over 2100m at Chantilly Racecourse. She was made 6/5 favourite, with her main opposition expected to come from River Lady, who had been an impressive winner of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains. She was in third place early in the straight when River Lady was pulled up after sustaining an injury which proved to be fatal. Harbour took the lead soon after and won easily by two lengths from Akiyda, with All Along in fifth place.[2][6]

Harbour was rested after her win in the Prix de Diane and returned in autumn with the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as her principal objective. Her trial race for the Arc was the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on 12 September. Racing on much firmer ground than she had previously encountered she ran a satisfactory race to finish a close fourth behind All Along, Akiyda and Grease. Her performance was particularly impressive as Freddy Head had struggled to obtain a clear run for the filly and she was closing on the leaders at the finish. On 3 October, racing on her favoured soft ground, Harbour started the 6.25/1 third favourine for the Arc behind the three-year-old colts Assert and Bon Sang. She became extremely agitated before the start and ran disappointingly, finishing ninth of the seventeen runners behind Akiyda.[2]