Longevity is Key as Adayar and Hukum Join Japan’s Stallion Ranks

The Japanese stallion studs are in the midst of hosting their annual parades in Hokkaido and there will doubtless be plenty of interested onlookers at Darley Japan, where the stallion yard has been boosted by a quartet of new recruits for the 2024 season.

Two of the four are brand new to stud and have arrived from Britain with pretty lofty reputations, and rightly so. Both Adayar (Ire) and Hukum (Ire) are winners of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., while Adayar, more pertinently, is a Derby winner. Hukum also triumphed over a mile and a half at Epsom, but in the G1 Coronation Cup as a five-year-old. While that may – unfathomably – count against him in Europe, such longevity is a badge of honour in Japan, so the fact that Hukum's King George win came when he was six is yet another feather in his cap. In addition to their race records, Adayar and Hukum are sons of two of the most celebrated racehorses and successful stallions of the modern era in Frankel (GB) and Sea The Stars (Ire) respectively.

“It's going to be a big week for them and for us,” says Harry Sweeney, the Irish-born president of Darley Japan in anticipation of welcoming visitors to this week's parades. “Breeders don't make mating plans too soon here in Japan. They take their time about it. We have an open house that extends for six days. And over that period we have 600 people booked in to look at our new stallions.”

He adds, “Hukum and Adayar have been here for a little while, they came in last year. So they're well settled in and both of them are being well received.”

There was some gnashing of teeth from those followers of the sport in Europe who still value high-level middle-distance form at the departure of not just Adayar and Hukum but also another son of Frankel, the Irish Derby winner and Arc runner-up Westover (GB). He has joined the Yushun Stallion Station. 

In regard to the respective owner-breeders of these three horses – Darley, Shadwell and Juddmonte – there are of course legitimate reasons for standing them overseas when their British-based operations have each welcomed a new son of Frankel this season in Triple Time (Ire), Mostahdaf (Ire) and Chaldean (GB), and Shadwell already has Hukum's year-younger full-brother Baaeed (GB) at Beech House Stud. Still, such a power-packed trio leaving these shores all at once should be a source of consternation, even though it is not a new development. In the 1990s in particular, Japan recruited a run of Derby winners when the export of Dr Devious (Ire) was followed by Commander In Chief (GB), Lammtarra, High-Rise (Ire) and Oath (Ire). A little over a decade later another Juddmonte homebred, Workforce (GB), started his stud career in Japan. Adayar is the first to leave since 2011.

“Of course, Frankel is a world force,” says Sweeney, emphasising the appeal of Adayar, who became Charlie Appleby's second Derby winner for Godolphin, and a deserved first Classic winner for jockey Adam Kirby.  

“Interestingly, Frankel's very early success actually came in Japan from his first crop. Mozu Ascot won the Yasuda Kinen and Soul Stirring won the [Japanese] Oaks. So from Frankel's very first crop, he had two Group 1 winners in Japan, and subsequently he's had Grenadier Guards. So Frankel has had three Group 1 winners here in Japan and he needs no introduction at all.”

He continues, “Adayar and Hukum are both outcrosses to Sunday Silence and we have so much dominance of Sunday Silence in Japan that to have stallions that can be outcrossed is very welcomed by breeders. 

“Interestingly, in relation to Adayar, some breeders were explaining to me recently that, of course, the Holy Grail for Japan is to win the Arc, and it's something that Japan has gone close to doing once or twice. Someone pointed out to me that since about the last 12 Arcs have all been won by horses from the Northern Dancer line, they were going to breed Sunday Silence-line mares to a son of Galileo, like Frankel, with the hook that they might run well in Europe in addition to Japan.”

The reverse of that idea has also been seen to good effect in European Classics of late, with Coolmore's Derby and Oaks winners Auguste Rodin (Ire) and Snowfall (Jpn), as well as 2,000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior (Jpn) all being by Deep Impact (Jpn) out of Galileo (Ire) mares. 

There has however been a growing trend, which is both mystifying and depressing, for breeders to eschew winners of the races which regularly produce some of the world's top-rated racehorses.  It will not come as a surprise to hear that in Japan, which is currently an impressively dominant force in world racing, this is not the case.

The idea of a horse coming out and winning a Group 1 race at two and then going to stud, that really couldn't happen in Japan because breeders want to see soundness, they want to see longevity

“Derby winners have kudos here, and the major races in Japan are largely middle-distance and staying races,” says Sweeney, who is now in his 35th year in the country. “Our 2,000 Guineas, the Satsuki Sho, is over 10 furlongs. So this is unlike other places in the world. A horse that is an out-and-out sprinter really has nowhere to go in Japan because there are only two Group 1 races at sprint distances in Japan in the JRA. So we want horses that are mile-and-a-half, 10-furlong horses, and that's an incentive to people to use them here in Japan. Even the great Deep Impact, the shortest distance he won over was 10 furlongs. And he won a 10-furlong race at two, that was his introduction. And he never went shorter, but was a brilliant race horse and a very good sire.”

While the wheel is turning in this part of the world, as it has already done in Australia, towards the whisking off to stud of precocious, sprint-orientated stallions, Sweeney says that there is not a desire to follow that example in Japan.

“There is no real move to change,” he says. “The idea of a horse coming out and winning a Group 1 race at two and then going to stud, that really couldn't happen in Japan because breeders want to see soundness, they want to see longevity. And I mean that's one thing that's interesting for both of these horses. Adayar won races at two, three, four and five, but actually Hukum was one step better: a winner at two, three, four, five and six. Japanese breeders appreciate that, because we need soundness.”

He adds, “Japan has a great programme for running older horses. A horse like Ushba Tesoro, for example, who won the Dubai World Cup last year, he stays in training at seven. So we like longevity, and that's one thing that the Japanese breeders will appreciate regarding these horses. They were sound and won over many seasons. There is no rush here to win a big race like the Golden Slipper, or the equivalent, and send them off to stud, absolutely not.”

While Adayar has the 'Frankel factor', Hukum has a number of attributes in addition to his race record that are likely to be of interest to breeders in his adopted country.

“We appreciate the success of Baaeed and I have noticed that a number of mares that have been imported to Japan are in foal to Baaeed, so Baaeed's star is high here,” says Sweeney. “Hukum, of the two full-brothers, was perhaps a little bit less celebrated as a racehorse, I think that would be fair to say. But there's an interesting precedent here in Japan, which has been quite topical recently, and that was between Deep Impact and his full-brother who is one year older, Black Tide. And Black Tide was less celebrated as a racehorse, but now through Kitasan Black, Equinox, Sol Oriens and Wilson Tesoro, he is making a huge impact.”

Hukum remains the property of Shadwell and we are very humbled that Sheikha Hissa has entrusted Hukum to us

Hukum's broodmare sire Kingmambo is also a name with star appeal in Japan. His son King Kamehameha (Jpn) in particular has left a lasting legacy through his own sons, such as Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) and Duramente (Jpn), and also as a broodmare sire, with his daughters crossing well with Sunday Silence-line stallions. 

“It's led to Wagnerian, who's a Derby winner, and it's also the same cross as Ushba Tesoro,” Sweeney notes. “So that's something yet again that breeders will be very conscious of, and of course, both Baaeed and Hukum come from the family of Deep Impact, so it's easy to relate to all that.”

He adds, “Hukum remains the property of Shadwell and we are very humbled that Sheikha Hissa has entrusted Hukum to us. We're looking forward, hopefully, to Sheikha Hissa coming to visit him in Japan sometime.”

The illustrious additions to the Darley Japan roster don't end there, for the operation has in the last week welcomed the arrival of two stallions from America.  The 14-year-old G1 Belmont S. and G1 Metropolitan H. winner Palace Malice, a son of Curlin, has a growing reputation in his new home country, while for Yoshida (Jpn), named in honour of his breeder Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, it is essentially a homecoming. The son of Heart's Cry (Jpn) was bought as a yearling at the JRHA Select Sale for the equivalent of roughly $750,000 by John McCormack on behalf of WinStar Farm, who raced him with the China Horse Club and Head of Plains Partners. Yoshida stood his first four seasons for WinStar in Kentucky after a racing career which included victories in the GI Woodward S. on dirt and the GI Old Forester Turf Classic.

“Because he's a winner in America on turf and on dirt, we felt that he would have appeal in Japan,” says Sweeney of the 10-year-old. “He's a very attractive, correct horse and he's by Heart's Cry, who's doing very well.”

Extra encouragement is drawn from the fact that the late Heart's Cry provided the leading first-season sire in Japan last year in Suave Richard (Jpn). He is also the sire of Coolmore's St Leger winner Continuous (Jpn).

The signing of Palace Malice is looking something of a coup. Not only did his half-brother Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) win the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) last year, but the former Three Chimneys resident is the sire of Japan's champion two-year-old colt of 2023, Jantar Mantar (Jpn), as well as Noble Roger, who won the GIII Nikkan Sports Sho Shinzan Kinen in January to remain unbeaten. 

“So we have two graded stakes winners by Palace Malice, both three-year-olds, both unbeaten, and both will run in the Classics,” says Sweeney. “That is exciting too. We have a very exciting line-up of stallions this year.”

Outside the walls of Darley, the situation across the Japanese breeding industry appears to be similarly rosy. Stallion fees are on the rise, and the word's top-rated horse of last year, Equinox (Jpn), retired to stand at a fee of ¥20 million (€124,000), which is a record for a first-season sire in the country. As soon as he was announced on the roster at Shadai Stallion Station, his book was full. 

“That's a big price in any market, and [his sire] Kitasan Black has gone up to that price as well,” says Sweeney. “There is no contraction here. Bloodstock sales were good last year. There is still an enormous appetite for horses. Betting turnover was up again last year, and the number of people applying for owners' licences is on the increase as well. So things are good in Japan, I have to say. It's a very good industry here and the racing aspect is well managed by the JRA, and that makes a huge difference.

“To have the leading horse in the world in Equinox and also to have the leading race in the world last year, which was the Japan Cup, Japan should be proud. Japan is proud.”

 

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“He’ll Be Sorely Missed” – Derby Winner Adayar Retired

Derby and King George winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has been retired from racing with his trainer Charlie Appleby saying the Godolphin-owned five-year-old was “a pleasure to train”.

Adayar provided Appleby with a second G1 Derby success at Epsom in 2021 when ridden by Adam Kirby before going on to beat his elders in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot the following month under William Buick.

He was subsequently beaten in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the G1 Champion S. and only made it to the track twice last season, albeit going close in the Champion S. when beaten just half a length by Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}).

Connections brought him back as a 5-year-old in the hope of adding to his top-level tally-but while he made a successful comeback in the rescheduled G3 Gordon Richards S. at Newmarket in May, he was beaten into third in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot and was turned over at short odds on his latest and final start at Newmarket.

Appleby told www.godolphin.com, “Adayar provided the team with two outstanding days on the racecourse at Epsom and Ascot and has been a firm favourite in the yard for the past three seasons. He has been an absolute pleasure to train.

“He will be sorely missed at Moulton Paddocks but we look forward to watching him in his new career at stud and are quite sure he will be a huge success.”

The fourth foal out of Dubawi (Ire) mare Anna Salai who won the G3 Prix de la Grotte and was second in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, the Godolphin homebred is a full-brother to the stakes winner Military Order (Ire). His extended family features Group 1 winner National Defense (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and the GI Flower Bowl Invitational S. heroine Ave (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).

Kirby said, “Adayar will always hold a special place in my heart, as he gave me the biggest win of my career.

“Obviously what he achieved means he's a great horse. He had a very high cruising speed and he could really quicken and keep lengthening, which takes a bit of doing.

“He had a great mind. I'd never ridden him before Epsom, but he travelled round very strong and he made everything easy for me. He had a great turn of foot, but what he achieved speaks for itself–he was obviously very, very talented on his day and I'm sure he will do well as a stallion.”

 

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Shadwell’s Mostahdaf Improves To Second On Longines WBRR

Shadwell's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) dominated the G1 Prince of Wales's S. by four lengths at Royal Ascot last month and improved his Longines World's Best Racehorse Ranking (WBRR) from 121 to 128 to sit second behind the 129-ranked Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) on the leaderboard, with the latest rankings released by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) on Thursday.

Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) who was second as the favourite in the 10-furlong contest, sits on 123 while Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was third home and is weighted on 120.

Following his decisive victory in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot, three-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) is up to 125 for his defeat of the classy Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (121), the top-rated female in the world, in the G1 Coral Eclipse S. July 8. Paddington joins Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) and Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}), who will fight out Hong Kong Horse of the Year honours, to be announced Friday. Triple Time (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) led home a 1-2 finish for his sire in the G1 Queen Anne S. to open the Royal Meeting and is rated on 121.

A pair of American gallopers are also on the rise after victories on the Belmont S. undercard last month. Cody's Wish (Curlin) improved from 119 to 122 after an impressive win in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. and is rated joint-best dirt horse in the world with G1 Dubai World Cup hero Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}). Up To The Mark (Not This Time) cemented his status as America's pre-eminent turf horse with an easy tally in the GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan S., for which he was awarded a rating of 121, bettering his effort in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic by one pound.

The next edition of the Longines WBRR will be published on Aug. 10.

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Seven Days: A Pedigree Nutcase in Paris

There is something wonderfully refreshing about John Hayes. He stands at least 6'6” tall with size 15 'lucky boots' and a towering personality to match. Prior to watching Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), the filly he bred from his beloved mare Sophie Germain (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), win the G1 Coolmore St Mark's Basilica Prix Saint-Alary, he serenaded guests of her owner Al Shira'aa Farms with a ditty about a cross-dressing gold-digger.

It's the kind of theme that could so easily see people cancelled these days, but there could be no erasing of Hayes's enthusiasm for the game. A small breeder with two mares in Co Tipperary, he is a self-confessed “pedigree nutcase” who claims to know nothing of conformation. He can rest assured that he has bred a pretty special animal in the unbeaten Jannah Rose, who meets all criteria in that important triumvirate of pedigree, physique and performance.

Hayes spent the flight from Dublin to Paris reading up on Chelandry (GB), Lord Rosebery's 1,000 Guineas winner and Oaks runner-up of 1897, from whom has sprung the likes of Lester's Piggott's first Derby winner Never Say Die, as well as the great High Chaparral (Ire), dual Classic winner Ravinella, and the Kentucky Derby heroes Tomy Lee, Genuine Risk, and Swale. Chelandry is Jannah Rose's 10th dam. This is deep-state research, reserved for pedigree lovers/nutcases (take your pick).

In the aftermath of Jannah Rose's imperious win, Hayes said of her dam, “Her first foal, [Group 2 winner] Creggs Pipes, was winning lots of races while my sister was dying from cancer, so it gave my sister some relief. Today is my mother-in-law's anniversary; she is looking down on us today, I know that.”

He added, “I'm a dairy farmer, and I wouldn't know the difference between a good-looking horse and a bad-looking horse. I don't know anything about conformation but I'm a complete nutcase for pedigrees.

“It's a big responsibility having a mare like that. It's all about the mare. That's all I have to do: do the right thing by her. We love her dearly, she's the boss. She's in foal to Kingman now and Shane [Horan] said, 'Next year, Frankel'.”

With Jannah Rose becoming Frankel's 27th Group 1 winner, Sophie Germain is now a deserved shoo-in for a return to his court. In the meantime, the 16-year-old mare will be eating from some pretty fancy tableware. Brandishing the silver salver he was presented with as winning breeder, Hayes added, “I'm going to take this home and put nuts on it for Sophie.”

Hayes had travelled to Longchamp with Kieran Lalor, who in January had spoken in TDN of his hopes for the then-maiden winner Jannah Rose to continue the solid start made by Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Al Shira'aa Farms. Abu Dhabi-owned, it has its headquarters at the Curragh-based property formerly known as Meadow Court Stud. Those hopes have now been realised, with the statuesque filly having remained faultless in winning the G3 Prix Vanteaux en route to her Group 1 success.

Hayes said on Sunday, “I'm delighted for Kieran in particular, that his judgement has been vindicated. It's a big decision to make to advise somebody to spend €650,000 on a yearling. He's the one who should take the credit.”

Lalor himself had been quick to praise the breeder. “Coming from an operation, a pedigree guru like John, the foundation is all there,” he said. “She's an absolutely lovely filly, the biggest heart I've ever seen. I'm delighted for the boss, and it's an absolute pleasure to be a part of this journey. I personally think her 4-year-old career will be even better.”

He continued, “I always go back to the day I saw her at Goffs. I've never fallen for a horse like I fell for her. Everything about her was as cool as a breeze.

“The most important thing is the breeder, as it's the hardest thing in the world to breed a filly like that, and that's what we want to do.”

Back at the farm, Al Shira'aa already has in its paddocks another daughter of Frankel, the Group 2 winner Rumi (Fr), who was also trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias. The trainer usually gives himself a special treat each Sunday by riding Jannah Rose. This week he left the job to supersub Christophe Soumillon.

“She always showed me she was good, but between good and Group 1 is a big step,” said Laffon-Parias. Now he knows, and the next stop is Chantilly.

“That's the target, the Prix de Diane,” he confirmed.

Next Run for the Roses

In the Diane, Jannah Rose will meet the other female star of Sunday at Longchamp, the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). She also represents an up-and-coming breeding operation, this one the Spanish-owned Yeguada Centurion.

The man behind it, Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals, has put his faith in some young members of the French racing and breeding scene to fulfil his dreams and they are making a damn good fist of it. In the winner's circle after the race, Blue Rose Cen's trainer Christopher Head chatted with Guillaume Garcon of Haras de l'Hotellerie, who is entrusted with boarding the Yeguada Centurion mares. Despite demonstrating a little more Gallic cool than our Irish friends, the delight on their faces was plain to see.

Garcon said of Blue Rose Cen's dam Queen Blossom (Ire) (Jeremy), “She will return soon from Coolmore and she is back in foal to Churchill–of course! We love Churchill, we've sent him lots of mares.”

He boards 30 mares for the same owner-breeder, including Hardiyna (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the sister to dual Derby winner Harzand (Ire) and dam of Prix du Jockey Club favourite Big Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), who is also trained by Head.

“Both mares were bought quite inexpensively and it is wonderful to see him have this success,” Garcon noted.

When your surname is Head, there's a fair chance that the racing world will sit up and take notice. Christopher Head is the son of legendary former jockey and trainer Freddy, and is the cousin of Patricia Laffon-Parias, the wife of Jannah Rose's trainer. He would certainly not have struggled to have broken into this sphere, but nevertheless he started his training business in modest circumstances. When TDN first encountered Head four years ago, he was sweeping the yard outside the handful of boxes he rented in Chantilly from Pascal Bary.

“I still sweep the yard,” he said on Sunday. Now, however, it is the yard vacated by his father on his retirement and bought by Christopher earlier this year.

Blue Rose Cen, his first Group 1 winner last season in the Prix Marcel Boussac, is now his first Classic winner, as she was for jockey Aurelien Lemaitre. It would be no surprise to see her stablemate Big Rock become their second on June 4.

Marching Orders for Epsom

Not since Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee, in 1896 and 1900, have full-brothers won the Derby. At Lingfield on Saturday, a tantalising prospect was suggested by Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) that he could follow his brother Adayar (Ire) to Epsom after winning the Fitzdares Lingfield Derby Trial.

His success brought up a trial double for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby after Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who only made her debut on February 13, took the Oaks Trial.

Adayar was only second in the Lingfield Derby Trial two years ago but his early career took a similar path to his younger brother, with two runs as a juvenile at the back end of the season before a seasonal resumption at the end of April.

Military Order now shares the top spot in the Derby betting with Aidan O'Brien's Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Not far behind them is Arrest (Ire), bred by Des Leadon and Mariann Klay at Swordlestown Little, who sparked a fine week for Frankel when winning the G3 Chester Vase by more than six lengths. Juddmonte's star stallion has already been responsible for the 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) this season and it would be no surprise to see him feature as the sire of another Derby winner, too.

His own sire Galileo (Ire) could yet have a say in this season's Classics, with his daughter Savethelastdance (Ire) having routed her rivals by 22 lengths in the Cheshire Oaks. If she makes it to Epsom, one hopes that the new Oaks favourite has a less dramatic experience there than her dam Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy), who bolted to post for the Oaks during a lightning storm, causing jockey Olivier Peslier to bail out in an alarming incident.

Quote of the Week

You can always rely on the inimitable Richard Kent to come up with a good line or two, and the Mickey Stud maestro didn't disappoint in his interview after the success of the Dave Evans-trained Radio Goo Goo (GB) at Chester last week.

Kent could take particular delight in this result, as he bred both the filly's sire, Havana Grey (GB), with the late Lady Lonsdale, and her dam, Radio Gaga (GB), who is by the former Mickley resident Multiplex (GB). But he reserved the greatest praise for grand-dam Gagajulu (GB) (Al Hareb), the roach-backed mare who proved that handsome is as handsome does. Among her 16 runners were 11 winners and the black-type quartet of Ardbrae Lady (GB), One Gold (GB), Under My Spell (GB), and the aforementioned Radio Gaga.

Recalling Gagajulu with fondness, Kent said, “[She] won five races in 11 weeks for Dave as a 2-year-old. She's been a fantastic mare: she paid for two barns and a divorce…I could have built 10 barns with [what it cost for] the divorce.”

 

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