Warning (GB)

Warning has two special places in Juddmonte history – as Juddmonte’s first homebred Group 1 winner and as the inspiration for Juddmonte's European logo.

The offspring of shrewd purchases Known Fact and Slightly Dangerous, Warning raced four times as a two-year-old, trained by Guy Harwood after being rejected by Jeremy Tree -possibly due to the colt’s lack of size. It was a decision he would come to rue after Warning finished the 1987 season as the undefeated Champion Two-Year-Old, his victories including the Gr.2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood and the Gr.2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. It may also have included the Gr.1 Dewhurst Stakes had the weather not been so inclement – the race was abandoned due to the infamous great storm of that year.

Warning started his three-year-old season as favourite for the Gr.1 2000 Guineas, but shortly after his second placing in the Gr.3 Craven Stakes was found to be ill and was therefore withdrawn. He bounced back in July to win a Listed event at Lingfield, which set him up for victory in the Gr.1 Sussex Stakes a few weeks later – becoming the first homebred Group 1 winner for Prince Khalid. On his next run, in the Gr.1 Prix Jacques le Marois, Warning lost narrowly to Miesque, but followed up with a stunning five-length triumph in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Despite thereafter trailing in down the field in the Gr.1 Breeder’s Cup Mile, Warning was crowned the Champion 3YO Colt in Europe.

Returning as a four-year-old, Warning began with a second in the Gr.2 Lockinge Stakes, sponsored by Juddmonte. It was then on to Royal Ascot, where Warning demonstrated his impressive turn of foot to win the opening race – the Gr.2 Queen Anne Stakes – by four lengths. The colt unfortunately did not win again, running fourth in the Gr.1 Eclipse Stakes and sixth in the Gr.1 Sussex Stakes, but he had shown enough class to achieve the accolade of Champion Older Miler in Europe.

Warning retired to join Rainbow Quest at Banstead Manor Stud for the 1990 stud season. Here he sired Juddmonte homebred two-year-old Group 1 winner Prophecy from his first crop and was Champion First Season Sire in England and Ireland. He also produced the Group 1 winners Piccolo, Diktat, Sumati and Give Notice. In 1996, Warning was purchased by Shizunai Stud in Japan, where he sired the Japanese Group 1 winner Calstone Light O, but sadly died of heart failure in 2000.