Opening Verse (1986–2002) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in England and the United States.
Background
Bred in Kentucky, his sire was the 1977 Epsom and Irish Derby winner, The Minstrel. Out of the mare Shy Dawn, his damsire was Grey Dawn, the French Champion Two-Year-Old Colt who beat Sea Bird II in the 1964 Grand Critérium at Longchamp Racecourse.
Racing career
United Kingdom
Trained in England by Henry Cecil for Sheikh Mohammed, at age two Opening Verse made his racing debut with a win in the August 27, 1988 Park Lodge Maiden Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. Then, on September 30 he won the Somerville Tattersall Stakes on the same course and on October 25, the Provideo Stakes at Redcar Racecourse. As a three-year-old, Opening Verse went winless until September 7, 1989 when he won the Strensall Stakes at York Racecourse. In the Group One Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, he ran second to Nashwan.
