Harbinger's record-breaking win in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes has earned him a provisional rating which places him among the top European racehorses of all time.The Sir Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old produced an electrifying display in Saturday's Ascot showpiece as he annihilated his rivals to win by 11 lengths.The impression of brilliance he left was confirmed on Sunday by Timeform, the independent company whose job it is to assess a horse's performance with an objectiv

Harbinger's record-breaking win in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes has earned him a provisional rating which places him among the top European racehorses of all time.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old produced an electrifying display in Saturday's Ascot showpiece as he annihilated his rivals to win by 11 lengths.

The impression of brilliance he left was confirmed on Sunday by Timeform, the independent company whose job it is to assess a horse's performance with an objective analytical eye.

On the evidence of Saturday's demolition Timeform have awarded Harbinger a provisional rating of 142.

That puts him among the racing gods - one pound (.5kg) behind Brigadier Gerard and Tudor Minstrel and two pounds behind the top-rated horse of all time, the French-trained Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner from the 1960s, Sea Bird.

"Such a wide-margin of victory at the highest level is obviously very rare, after all only three horses since Timeform began have been rated higher in the Racehorses annuals," Timeform's Kieran Packman told The Sporting Life.

"Of course it remains to be seen if Harbinger can repeat such a stunning effort and he won't be adjudged a 'true' 142 horse until the season's out.

"But assessed as a one-off performance on the day, it really was a run of outstanding merit."

Harbinger, who was competing in his first ever Group One, is now heading to Paris in the autumn for the Arc - a race Stoute has yet to win.

After leaving a brace of Derby winners trailing in his wake at Ascot bookmakers were taking no chances, making Harbinger an even money favourite for the Arc at Longchamp on the first Sunday in October.

Harry Herbert, racing manager to Harbinger's owners, Highclere Stud, described the four-year-old's display as a "once in a lifetime performance".

"I don't think it's really sunk in for any of us and it was one of those rare racecourse performances where it is difficult to believe it actually happened," he said.

"It's hard to understand how horses can improve so rapidly, but he obviously has done and is doing so.

"It was a great performance and a great training performance and we will almost certainly look towards the Arc now.

"I'll talk to Sir Michael and see whether he wants to go straight there or give him a prep race, but that's a decision for another day.

"We'll take it race by race, but there are so many options for him.

"I certainly couldn't rule out the Breeders' Cup and there are other races like the Japan Cup."