Horse Julius and Big Horse Racing (2020) Plot Summary Explained

Julius needs the Prince of Kiev as a matchmaker because royal marriage rules require candidates of equal status. Since Julius is a common horse with no proven pedigree, he cannot directly claim the hand of Zvezda, the royal mare. By bringing a prince as an intermediary, Julius gains the royal legitimacy needed to approach Sultan Rashid for the marriage arrangement.

• royal marriage
• pedigree
• matchmaker
• Zvezda
• status

The Prince of Kiev refused because he was occupied with other matters and did not consider Julius's request a priority. The summary mentions the Prince was engaged in other business, leading him to dismiss the talking horse's proposal despite its importance to Julius's quest.

• Prince of Kiev
• refusal
• Julius
• matchmaker

After the Prince refused, Julius sneaked into Kiev castle under cover of night while everyone slept. He silently moved past guards and private chambers, then abducted the Prince and forcibly escorted him to Sultan Rashid's court for matchmaking. This audacious kidnapping was the only way Julius could think of to get the royal help he needed.

Foreshadowing: The Prince's refusal earlier sets up the desperate measure Julius takes at night.

• kidnap
• Prince
• night
• castle
• Sultan

Zvezda, known as the Star of the East, is a royal mare of significant prestige. She was purchased at auction and became the center of a conflict between Sultan Rashid and his brother Arkan. For Julius, winning Zvezda represents not just romantic pursuit but also a chance to elevate his status through a royal marriage-like alliance.

• Zvezda
• mare
• royal
• prize
• Star of the East

Arkan, Rashid's brother, attempted to steal the mare Zvezda that Rashid had bought at auction. At the border of the Kiev Principality, Arkan's robbers tried to take Zvezda away, but three bogatyrs and Julius intervened and rescued both Sultan Rashid and the mare. This brotherly dispute over Zvezda sets the story's events in motion.

• Arkan
• Rashid
• brother
• Zvezda
• robbers

The big race serves as the story's climax where the winner claims everything, including Zvezda and the associated prestige. The race brings together all the main characters, the bogatyrs, Julius, the Prince of Kiev, and Sultan Rashid, with the outcome determining who gets control of the prized mare and the political alliance surrounding her.

• horse race
• winner
• prize
• Zvezda
• climax

According to the rules of royal marriages in this world, only a candidate of equal status can marry someone of royal bloodlines. Julius, being a horse without documented pedigree, does not meet this requirement. The royal lineage rule is what forces him to seek the Prince of Kiev as a matchmaker to legitimize his suit for Zvezda.

• royal blood
• lineage
• marriage rules
• pedigree

Julius is motivated by love and romantic aspiration. As a talking horse who considers himself worthy of a royal mare, he believes Zvezda is worth pursuing despite the complicated requirements and the risks involved in kidnapping a prince. His determination drives the entire plot forward.

• love
• motivation
• Julius
• Zvezda
• pursuit

The bogatyrs are three heroic warriors who initially help Julius rescue Sultan Rashid and Zvezda from Arkan's robbers at the border. They also have their own business on the East side, and their parallel mission converges with Julius's quest as everyone heads toward the big race. Their presence adds adventure elements and works alongside Julius toward the final showdown.

• bogatyrs
• heroes
• rescue
• race
• adventure

After kidnapping the Prince, Julius brings him forcibly to Sultan Rashid's court. With the Prince now present, the matchmaking arrangement can proceed as Julius planned. The Prince's role shifts from unwilling participant to key figure in the alliance setup, and the stakes rise as royal lineage, prestige, and Zvezda's future all become intertwined.

• kidnapping
• Prince
• consequences
• Sultan
• matchmaking