Nearco

The greatest pre-war Italian Racehorse.

Nearco was a tribute to the genius of the Italian breeder, Signor Federico Tesio. The great man laid the foundation for Italy gaining a prominent place in International Racing.

Nearco was by Pharos out of Nogara. Nogara had won the Italian 1,000 Guineas. Pharos, his sire finished second in the Italian Derby. Pharos's sire, Phalaris was a brilliant sprinter, winning 7 races in succession as a 4-year-old, inspite of facing big handicaps. As a 5 years-old, he secured 4 wins out of 5 winning upto a handicap of 10st.7lb. Phalaris's son, Manna won the 1924 Two Thousands Guineas and Derby, while his brother Fairway won the 1928 St.Leger.

The great colt was blessed with brilliant speed. He won all his two-year-old races in a cakewalk. In his three years-old career, he won the Premio Parioli by 6 lengths, the Italian Derby and subsequently won the Gran Premio de Italia and the Gran Premio de Milano.

Compared to his Italian compatriots Nearco was like a huge mountain overlooking a cluster of hills. A week later, Nearco performed like an emperor in the Grand Prix de Paris. Snatching the lead at the top of the straight with the ease of a bird flying, Nearco cruised away to win effortlessly by a length and a half. The horses he defeated included the good stayer Canot, English Derby winner, Bois Roussell and the French Derby winner, Cillas. Though Nearco was not a true stayer, his class and phenomenal speed compensated for it to the extent that the champion won upto 3,000 metres.

At stud Nearco's performance was phenomenal. At Beech House Stud, Newmarket, he foaled ten top stallions in 15 years. These included Dante, Sayajirao, Nimbus, Nasrullah, Mossborough and Royal Charger.

His male-line descendants through Nasrullah included Secretariat, Blushing Groom, Seattle Slew, Mill Reef and Riverman. His Nearctic line branch included Northern Dancer, Sir Ivor, Nijinsky, Lyphard, Sadler's Wells, Danzig and Nureyev, while his Royal Charger line included Sunday Silence and Roberto.

Three times he was the leading sire of broodmares, and between 1952 and 1959 was in the first three places, however his reatest achievement was being the grandsire of Northern Dancer, the greatest sire of the Century.

Northern Dancer went on to produce Sadler's Wells, the greatest subsequent sire of the century as well as Nijinsky, one of the greatest horses racing has seen. Lyphard and Nureyev were also two remarkable sons of Northern Dancer producing Champions like Dancing Brave (Lyphard - Najavo Princess) and Peintre Celebre (Nureyev - Peintre Bleue).

Nearco was a Prince as a racehorse and an Emperor as a sire. With Ribot, he will be the most remembered Italian Racehorse of the Century.

Nearco 1935	Pharos	Phalaris	Polymelus
			Bromus
		Scapa Flow	Chaucer
			Anchora
	Nogara	Havresac	Rabelais
			Hors Concours
		Catnip	Spearmint
			Sibola