Junius (horse)

On his racecourse debut, Junius started at odds of 1/3 in a minor race over five furlongs but was beaten a short head into second place. At the Curragh in September he was opposed by eleven horses in a six furlong maiden race and accelerated clear of his rivals to win by four lengths from Rare Duke. Two weeks later, over the same course and distance, Junius won the Suir Plate, beating the previously unraced Pittsville by half a length.[4]

For his final appearance of the season Junius was sent to England and moved up to Group One level for the Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse on 5 October.[5] He was his trainer's first juvenile runner in Britain that year and started at odds of 7/1 in a ten-runner field. Main Reef, who had been disqualified after finishing first in the Mill Reef Stakes, started favourite, whilst the other contenders included Stanford (Gimcrack Stakes), Young Generation (Richmond Stakes) and King of Spain (awarded the Mill Reef Stakes). Ridden by Lester Piggott, Junius disputed second place as Main Reef set the early pace, before going to the front at half way. He got the better of a sustained struggle with Young Generation before drawing ahead to win by a length. The winning time 1:11.0 was a new course record for a two-year-old.[4]

In April 1979 Junius started odds on favourite in a six-runner field for the Tetrarch Stakes over seven furlongs at the Curragh. He appeared unsuited by the soft ground and finished a well-beaten fifth behind Gerald Martin. He never raced again and was retired at the end of the year.[2]