Cover image courtesy of the Japan Racing Association
There was early interest from an Australian perspective with Lot 24. This colt by Epiphaneia out of the G1 Irish Oaks winner Even So (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) was sold by Northern Farm to Fujita Susumu for 340,000,00 Yen ($AU3.132 million).
Lot 24 - Epiphaneia (Jpn) x Even So (Ire) | Image courtesy of the Japan Racing Association
This has been a family competitive at the highest level for generations, its other members including the big race winners Dr Devious (Ire), Shinko King (Ire), Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Saxon Warrior (Jpn).
There has been further Australian success in this family - the G1 Emirates S. winner Awesome Rock whilst Rose Of Jericho’s grandam Cambrienne (Fr) (Sicambre {Fr}) is the sixth dam of Pierro.
Epiphaneia (Jpn) | Standing at Shadai Stallion Station
Epiphaneia also has a couple of Australian connections with his Group 3 winning grandam Kirov Premiere (GB) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) also being the grandam of Widden Stud’s G3 Zeditave S. winner Overshare and the dual Group 3 winning mare Irithea (Snitzel)
Lot 169, also consigned by Northern Farm, was another yearling of interest in regards to Australian relations - the daughter of the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Mr Melody (USA) being out of the four times winner Speak Softly (Jpn) (Alkaased {USA}) whose grandam Laiyl (Ire) (Nureyev {USA}) is the grandam of the G1 Queensland Derby winner Kukeracha (NZ) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and the G3 Keith F. Nolan Classic winner Cameo (Shamardal {USA}).
“Lot 169, also consigned by Northern Farm, was another yearling of interest in regards to Australian relations - the daughter of the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Mr Melody being out of the four times winner Speak Softly.”
He sold for 21,000,000 Yen (AU$133,494), from the draft of Northern Farm to Nagayama Yoshio.
Arrowfield stallions represented
Two Arrowfield based Japanese bred stallions were well represented at the sale - the proven Maurice and the younger Admire Mars.
The former has already enjoyed good local success with nine stakes winners amongst his total of 28 including two of his five Group 1 winners - Hitotsu and Mazu.
Gallery: Two Arrowfield based Japanese bred stallions were well represented at the sale, standing at Arrowfield
Lot 127 was the highlight lot for Maurice, a rare white colt out of the three times winner Marble Cake (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) fetching 190,000,000 Yen ($AU1.75 million) - sold by Northern Farm to Fujita Susumu.
His grandam is also grandam of Japan’s favourite white horse - the triple Group 1 winner Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune {USA}).
Lot 127 - The stunning white colt by Maurice attracted plenty of attention | Image courtesy of the Japan Racing Association
Also from Northern Farm was Lot 37 purchased by Musashi Racing for 60,000,000 Yen ($AU552,891) out of a half-sister to the Group winners Renee’s Titan (USA) (Bernstein {USA}), Fashion Alert (USA) (Old Fashioned {USA}), Strong Titan (USA) (Regal Ransom {USA}) and Gilded Mirror (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}).
“Lot 127 was the highlight lot for Maurice, a rare white colt out of the three times winner Marble Cake (Jpn) fetching 190,000,000 Yen ($AU1.75 million) - sold by Northern Farm to Fujita Susumu.”
Sold for 48,000,000 Yen ($AU442,309) to the Maple Club was Lot 5, Maurice’s third best seller for the day. The filly is out of a half-sister to the Listed winner Wild Wind (Ger) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) from the family of the European Champion 2YO Filly Rumplestiltskin (Ire) (Danehill {USA}).
The first Australian bred progeny of Admire Mars are yearlings whilst he has had three winners amongst his first nine runners in Japan. He served 72 mares at Arrowfield last spring with 53 weanlings and 60 yearlings on the ground.
He had five yearlings sell with the highest price - Lot 2 purchased by Ohzora Kiakau from Northern Farm for 84,000,000 Yen ($AU774,042). The chestnut is out of the G1 Gran Premio Seleccion de Potranacas winner Sankalpa (Arg) (True Course {USA}).
Lot 2 - Admire Mars x Sankalpa (Arg) | Image courtesy of the Japan Racing Association
Lot 48 was the second best seller for Admire Mars - a 54,000,000 Yen ($AU497,533) filly sold by Northern Farm to FA Racing. She is out of the G3 Prix du Calvados winner Queen Bee (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) from the family of the Group 1 winners Infallible (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
St Mark's Basilica and Satono Aladdin
Another shuttler represented was Coolmore Stud’s St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) who had just the one entry - Lot 96 sold by Northern Farm to Aakimoto Tatsuya for 70,000,000 Yen ($AU644,976).
The bay colt is out of Carta Ganadora (Arg) (Tapit {USA}) who earned the title of Argentina’s Champion 2YO with her three victories in Group 1 company.
Lot 96 - St Mark's Basilica (Fr) x Carta Embrujada (Arg) | Image courtesy of the Japan Racing Association
Also of interest for Coolmore was Lot 119, a 60,000,000 Yen ($AU552,968) colt sold by Shadai Farm to Reiko Hara - a grey colt by Justify (USA) out of the dual Group winner Miss Marissa (USA) (He’s Had Enough {USA}) whose grandam Inish Glora (Can) (Regal Classic {Can}) was crowned Canadian Champion Female Turf Horse on two occasions.
Meanwhile Rich Hill Stud’s Satono Aladdin (Jpn) had one pass in and another - Lot 241, a half-brother to the seven times winner Your History (Jpn) (Rulership) sold by Northern Farm to Tsuyoshi Matsuyama for 25,000,000 Yen ($AUD230,265).
There was Australian form in the pedigree of Lot 45, a 98,000,000 yen ($AUD 902,937) purchase for Life House Co Ltd from Northern Farm. The bay colt is out of the triple Listed winning mare Liliside (Fr) (American Post {GB}) whose seven winners include the 2019 WS Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}).
“Also of interest for Coolmore was Lot 119, a 60,000,000 Yen ($AU552,968) colt sold by Shadai Farm to Reiko Hara - a grey colt by Justify (USA) out of the dual Group winner Miss Marissa.”
Another of interest was Lot 40, a Silver State (Jpn) half-sister to the Listed Elfin S. winner Light Back (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) sold by Lake Villa Far to TN Racing for 62,000,000 Yen ($AU571,246). Her dam In The Spotlight (Ire) is a three times winning daughter of Exceed And Excel.
