Northjet

Northjet ran three times in Italy in 1979, winning one race over 1000 metres. In the following year, he won four consecutive races in Italy at distances ranging from 1000m to 1400m. On his final Italian start he won the Group Two over 1200m at Capannelle Racecourse in Rome, beating Marching On by one and a half lengths and setting a new track record of 1:08.8. In June, he was sent to England and finished unplaced behind Kearney in the Cork and Orrery Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was then sent to France to be trained by Olivier Douieb. He failed to win in his four remaining starts but showed some promising form. He finished second to Kilijaro in the Prix de Meautry at Deauville Racecourse in August, and third to the same filly in the Prix de Seine-et-Oise at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse in October.[5] In late 1980, Serge Fradkoff outbid a group of New Zealand breeders to buy Northjet for a sum reported to be in the region of $400,000.

Northjet began his four-year-old season in the Prix de Ris-Orangis over 1600m at Evry Racecourse in April, in which he finished fifth behind Hilal. On 1 May, he won the Prix du Muguet over 1600m at Saint-Cloud Racecourse, beating Joberan by a neck. He then finished third behind Price Mab and Diamond Prospect when carrying top weight in the Prix du Palais-Royal over 1400m at Longchamp Racecourse. He was then moved up in distance for the Group One Prix d'Ispahan over 1900m at Longchamp on 4 July. Ridden by Freddy Head he started at odds of 10/1 and finished second of the ten runners, two length behind The Wonder. Northjet was next scheduled to run in the Sussex Stakes in Britain, but was ruled out on the eve of the race because of an abscess on his fetlock.[4]

On 16 August at Deauville Racecourse, Northjet was one of eleven horses to contest the Group One Prix Jacques Le Marois over a straight 1600m. Ridden by Head, he started at odds of 7.3/1 against opponents including To-Agori-Mou (2000 Guineas), Kings Lake (Irish 2,000 Guineas, Sussex Stakes), Hilal, The Wonder, Cresta Rider (Prix Jean Prat) and Ukraine Girl (Poule d'Essai des Pouliches). Head tracked the leaders before moving up to join the leaders with 300m left to run. The colt then produced a "spectacular surge"[4] to go clear of the field and won very easily by five lengths from To-Agori-Mou, who beat Kings Lake by a nose for second place. The winning time of 1:34.5 on firm ground was the second fastest time recorded over the course. Three weeks later, Northjet contested the Prix du Moulin over 1600m at Longchamp and started the 6/10 favourite against eleven opponents. Despite the presence of two pacemakers, Northjet pulled hard against Head's attempts to restrain him before moving into the lead early in the straight. He was unable to break clear of the field as he had at Deauville, but won decisively by one and a half lengths from Hilal and The Wonder in a course record time of 1:35.2. Northjet was scheduled to end his racing career in the Champion Stakes over ten furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse in October, but was withdrawn after contacting an infection a week before the race.[4]