at the Curragh and started the 4/1 second choice in the betting behind his stablemate Desert Style (third in the Phoenix Stakes). The other three runners were Manashar, Elegant Victor and Suga Hawk and with no previous Group race winners on show, the field appeared to be a substandard one. In a closely contested finish Definite Article prevailed by half a length from Manashar, with Desert Style and Elegant Victor close behind in third and fourth. 1995: three-year-old season On his first appearance as a three-year-old, Definite Article was tried over ten furlongs in the Listed Silver Stakes at the Curragh on 27 May and started at odds of 4/1 in an eight-runner field. He won the race by two lengths from the odds-on favourite Shemaran (runner-up in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial), to whom he was conceding seven pounds in weight. In the Irish Derby over one and a half miles at the Curragh on 2 July Definite Article attempted to defend his unbeaten record and started 5/1 joint second favourite behind Celtic Swing. After being restrained by Kinane in the early stages he produced a sustained run on the outside in the straight to take the lead a furlong out but was caught on the line by the rally of the French-trained Winged Love and was beaten a short head in a photo finish. Annus Mirabilis took third ahead of Oscar Schindler and Classic Cliche with Celtic Swing finishing eighth. Later in July the colt was sent to Germany and matched against older horses for the first time in the Group 1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen over 2000 metres at Munich. He raced in third place for most of the way but was unable to quicken in the straight and finished fourth behind the filly Germany. Definite Article returned to Ireland for the Irish Champion Stakes over ten furlongs at Leopardstown Racecourse in September and started 6/1 third favourite behind Pentire and Hernando. He made steady progress in the straight but never looked likely to win and came home fourth behind Pentire, Freedom Cry and Flagbird, beaten two and a half lengths by the winner. 1996: four-year-old season Definite Article began his third campaign in the Listed Mooresbridge Stakes over ten furlongs at the Curragh on 27 April and started the 4/9 favourite against five opponents headed by the Glencairn Stakes winner Al Mohaajir. After being held up by Kinane