Tag: G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies

Italian Flavour To Hanshin Juvenile Fillies As Ascoli Piceno Prevails

Group winner Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) maintained her unbeaten record with a narrow score in the ¥125,160,000 G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies on Sunday. She also set a new stakes record of 1:32.60 for the 1600 metres in the 18-horse affair.

The Yoichi Kuroiwa trainee follows in the wake of such horses as dual Japanese Horse of the Year Vodka (Jpn) (Tanino Gimlet {Jpn}) who won this in 2006, fellow Horse of the Year Buena Vista (Jpn) (Special Week {Jpn}) (2008 edition), and 2022 scorer Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), who claimed the 2023 Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown. Her victory was the first at the top level for her trainer, who opened his stable in 2012.

Sent off as the 9-2 third choice behind 18-5 favourite Safira (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Ascoli Piceno perched well off the fence in midfield as 67-1 longshot Chicago Sting (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) stormed to the head of affairs. The pace was strong, with the first 800 metres covered in :46.40, and 1000 metres reached in :58.20.

On the bend, the bay remained behind a wall of rivals, but a gap opened just before the 400-metre mark, and she surged through to begin her run. Chicago Sting attempted to ease clear, but Ascoli Piceno with second choice Corazon Beat (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}) to her outside were both flashing home with good speed down the centre of the course. Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) was also picking up close home, and it was that foe who pressed Ascoli Piceno all the way to the line, with just a neck separating them. Corazon Beat, who could not match the finishing kick of the top pair, was third, another 1 1/4 lengths behind and three lengths to the good of the rallying Safira. Chicago Sting held on to run a highly credible fifth.

“The stable staff did a great job and she was in very good condition, so I had every confidence in her,” said Kitamura, who was winning his fourth Group 1 and first since Kitasan Black (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn})'s 2015 G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger). “The filly broke better than in her previous start, was relaxed during the race and responded well in the stretch. I was a bit worried for a second that we were going to get caught, but she gave her all, all the way to the line.”

A winner of a 2-year-old newcomers' affair at Tokyo over 1400 metres in June, the Sunday Racing runner won the G3 Niigata Nisai S. upped to 1600 metres against males just over two months later in August. The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies was her first appearance in over three months.

Pedigree Notes

The winner is the ninth Group 1 scorer for her sire, who stands at Shadai Stallion Station, Ascoli Piceno is part of a 46-strong battalion of stakes winners worldwide for the 22-year-old son of Sunday Silence. The late Danehill Dancer has now been represented by 19 top level winners out of his daughters among his 166 black-type winners on an international scale.

The near-black filly is one of four winners from four to race for her winning dam, and she is also a half-sister to the Listed Marguerite S. heroine Ascoltare (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). After Ascoli Piceno, Ascolti foaled a colt by Satono Diamond (Jpn) in 2022 and a filly by Kitasan Black (Jpn) this year.

Second dam Listen (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) won the G1 Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile and ran second in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. Besides Ascolti, she produced the listed winner and Japanese St Leger runner-up Satono Lux (Jpn) to the cover of Deep Impact (Jpn), as well as that colt's full-sister, the group winner Touching Speech (Jpn). Listen is a full-sister to Sequoyah (Ire), who won the Moyglare, and is also the dam of the high class Henrythenavigator (Kingmambo), who won both the G1 2000 Guineas, the Irish equivalent and the G1 St James's Palace S.; and his full-sister, the G3 One Thousand Guineas Trial S. heroine queen Cleopatra (Ire), who was third in both the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas.

 

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
HANSHIN JUVENILE FILLIES-G1, ¥125,160,000, Hanshin, 12-10, 2yo, f, 1600mT, 1:32.60, fm.
1–ASCOLI PICENO (JPN), 121, f, 2, by Daiwa Major (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Ascolti (Jpn), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Listen (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
                3rd Dam: Brigid, by Irish River (Fr)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
T-Yoichi Kuroiwa; J-Hiroshi Kitamura; ¥66,302,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-3-0-0, ¥104,936,000. *1/2 to Ascoltare (Jpn)
(Duramente {Jpn}), SW-Jpn, $422,446. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stellenbosch (Jpn), 121, f, 2, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Bloukrans
(Jpn), by Rulership (Jpn). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK
   TYPE. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Katsumi Yoshida;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥26,372,000.
3–Corazon Beat (Jpn), 121, f, 2, Suave Richard (Jpn)–Le Ciel
d'Or (Jpn), by Orfevre (Jpn). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE.
O-Thoroughbred Club Ruffian; B-Big Red Farm (Jpn);
¥16,186,000.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, 3. Odds: 4.90, 7.70, 3.80.
Also Ran: Safira (Jpn), Chicago Sting (Jpn), Lucifer (Jpn), Sweep Feet (Jpn), Dona Betty (Jpn), Cosmo Dinner (Jpn), Catfight (Jpn), Teleos Lulu (Jpn), Nanao (Jpn), Quick Bio (Jpn), Spring Nova (Jpn), Psipsina (Jpn), Culture Day (Jpn), New General (Jpn), Mirai Tailor (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.

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A Day In The Sun For The Juvenile Fillies At Hanshin

A fully subscribed field of 18 lines up for Sunday's G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over 1600 metres, and the unbeaten Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) carries the burden of favouritism for trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa in the ¥125,160,000 contest.

Normally based at the Miho Training Centre, her trainer is taking every precaution to give his Sunday Racing-owned filly an edge and shipped the G3 Niigata Nisai S. victress to Ritto in the middle of November to reduce her stress from travel.

“Thanks to moving her early, her appetite has stabilized and she has maintained her condition,” said Kuroiwa of his charge, who defeated colts in that 1600-metre Group 3. “The jockey [Hiroshi Kitamura] rode her last week and got a reading on her.

“She's not overly tense, was easily maneuverable and picked it up nicely in the finish. I think the sweeping turn over the Hanshin outer course is very attractive.”

One of her main rivals is MMS Holding's Culture Day (Jpn) (Fine Needle {Jpn}), who is looking for her third win on the bounce. She defeated two-time winners Dona Betty (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) and Chicago Sting (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) in the G3 Fantasy S. on Nov. 4, but the competition is much tougher in Sunday's contest.

Although she lost her debut, Corazon Beat (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}) has since rattled off a trio of victories in June, August and November. Her latest tally in the colours of Thoroughbred Club Ruffian was in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. versus males in a record time of 1:20.60 for the 1400m at Tokyo on the same day as Culture Day's Fantasy S. victory. She leaves from stall 10 and is known for her early speed.

A winner in three starts, Silk Racing's Safira (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) is exiting a second-place run in the 1600-metre G3 Artemis S. at Tokyo on Oct. 28. She is a full-sister to 2019 G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. hero Salios (Jpn), but is drawn in stall 14.

Trainer Manabu Ikezoe said, “Of course, we'll start to see real fruit at three-four years old, and I think she'll be able to race better, but I think the conditions will be much better for her this time than they were in the Artemis S. I didn't see any stiffness in her movement last time and I'm hoping she'll maintain a good mental state this time.”

The dual winner Catfight (Jpn) exits a record-setting performance in Nakayama's Aster Sho in September, where she covered the 1600-metre journey in a sharp 1:33.10. However, the flyweight daughter of Discreet Cat, who competes for Godolphin, must ship in for the race and she has little weight to spare to the rigors of travel.

Kazuhiro Masuda's Nanao (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) also sports a group placing on her record, running second in the G3 Hakodate Nisai S. versus colts, before returning to the winner's enclosure with a front-running 1 1/2-length score against the boys at equal weights in the Momiji S. at Kyoto in October. Lucifer (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), who represents Carrot Farm, could step up, as she stalked and pounced to win the 1800-metre Listed Hagi S. at Kyoto in open company on Oct. 28, her second win in three starts.

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Championship On The Line In Hanshin Juvenile Fillies

An impeccably credentialed bunch of 18 juvenile fillies line up in the 1600-metre ¥125,200,000 G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies on Sunday, and one of the prospective favourites is Sunday Racing's Umbrail (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}).

Undefeated in a pair of 1400-metre starts at Tokyo and Hanshin in June and October, the daughter of listed-placed L'Archetto (Jpn) (Falbrav {Ire}) is a full-sister to G1 Mile Championship hero Stelvio (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), one of three black-type horses for their dam.

“She has had two very strong races and we are having to deal with some mental after-effects of those,” said assistant trainer Yu Ota. “I think her coat is looking much better now than it was before her last race and I'm hoping to see her improve further. She handled the long trip to Hanshin well last time and I'm not concerned about the race distance being a mile. She has a lot of potential and if she can concentrate on her racing, things should go well.”

She faces the similarly undefeated Ravel (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), who bears the Carrot Farm colours and, after a win at Kikura in June, defeated Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) by a neck in the G3 Artemis S. at Tokyo on Oct. 29. Like Umbrail, the daughter of the G3 Fairy S. third Sambre Et Meuse (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) is a half-sister to a group winner, in this case the year-older dual Classic-placed Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), successful in the G2 Tulip Sho, second in the G1 Shuka Sho and third in the G1 Japanese Oaks.

“In the Artemis S., despite the slow pace, she stayed very much well in hand, and that was huge,” said assistant trainer Takahide Ando. “As I've always said, she has never been a good eater. She still could do a little better, but compared to earlier, she's better. We were able to give her a good hard workout as planned last week, but we still are aiming to get more muscle on her.”

Also a Sunday Racing colourbearer, Liberty Island will attempt to rebound from her Artemis second. Her dam is the Australia Champion 2-Year-Old and 3-Year-Old Filly Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}), who did earn a Group 1 win in the Inglis Sires at two and was also second in the G1 Golden Slipper, before adding a G1 Sprint Champion S. victory at three.

Fumio Takahasi's Moryana (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) has won her first two starts by a combine five lengths. A ¥30,000,000 weaning out of the 2020 JRHA Select Sale, she is the third foal, runner and winner for her dam, the dual winner Garder Le Sourire (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), whose extended family includes the Group 1 winner Wind In Her Hair (Ire) (Alzao), later the dam of Sunday Silence's best sire son Deep Impact (Jpn).

G3 Sapporo Nisai S. heroine Dura (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) does not have an unbeaten record to protect, and she defeated Doe Eyes (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) by a length in the Nisai S. at Sapporo in early September. The same could be said for G3 Hakodate Nisai S. victress Bouton D'Or (Jpn) (Big Arthur {Jpn}), who enters this test on the back of a runner-up effort in the G3 KBS Kyoto Sho Fantasy S. to Rivara (Jpn) (Kinshasa No Kiseki {Aus}).

“She'll be going into the race without a sharpener and we're preparing her with that in mind,” said assistant trainer Atsushi Nishioka. “She has gotten all the base work in and all has gone according to plan. She has no weak points. She has a big stride and I think the spacious course will suit her.”

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Epiphaneia Filly Lands Group 1 at Hanshin

Circle of Life (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) became the third Group 1 winner for her sire in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Hanshin on Sunday. A third-generation homebred for Masatake Iida of Chiyoda Farm, the bay was also the race's 4-1 number three pick and likely sewed up 2021 Japanese Champion Juvenile Filly honours.

Near the tail of the field as Dark Page (Jpn) (Dark Angel {Ire}) zipped through a solid half-mile in :46.40, she began to make up ground with 1000 metres remaining. Camped six deep as the field reached the stretch, she spun even wider out into the centre of the course for her bid, and overhauled the leaders in the final 25 metres for a half-length win. A trio of horses had briefly appeared to have the race at their mercy late, but Lovely Your Eyes (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) settled for second, with G3 Fantasy S. victress Water Navillera (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}) third, the same margin back. Race favourite Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) closed resolutely with a rails run, but could not master the top three and was a neck behind in fourth.

“She was great today, she had a good break, and we had a smooth trip,” said Mirco Demuro. “We went wide at the stretch, but the track was really good on the outside and the horses (in previous races of the day) seemed to stretch well along that path. My filly has closed well over the smooth track, so I trusted her to make it and indeed she exhibited strong finishing speed. I was certain in the last 200 meters that she would win. I've ridden her since her debut, and she really takes it in her stride in new surroundings and unfamiliar tracks so she has plenty of energy to use in the race. I'm sure she can further extend her distance in future races so I'm really looking forward that too.”

Third in a Niigata newcomers' race over 1800 metres when unveiled in August, the bay graduated cut back to 1600 metres at Nakayama on Sept. 20. She captured her first black-type race, the G3 Artemis S. at Tokyo on Oct. 30.

 

Pedigree Notes
Already one of five black-type winners (four group) for her 11-year-old sire, Circle of Life joins MG1SWs and Classic scorers Daring Tact (Jpn) (2020 Japanese Fillies Triple Crown Winner) and Efforia (Jpn) (2021 Japanese St. Leger Winner) as Group 1 progeny of the Shadai resident.

The fourth foal, fourth runner and third winner out of the triple winner Sea Breeze Life, Circle of Life has yearling and weanling Declaration of War half-siblings. After producing a colt in 2020 and a filly this term, the dam returned to Declaration of War this spring. Circle of Life's third dam, Star My Life (Storm Cat), was a half-sister to American Horse of the Year and MG1SW Lady's Secret (Secretariat). She was purchased for $350,000 out of the Keeneland July Sale in 1995 by Iida prior to winning one of six starts in her adopted country, a 1000-metre dirt maiden in 1997.

 

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
HANSHIN JUVENILE FILLIES-G1, ¥125,140,000, Hanshin, 12-13, 2yo, f, 1600mT, 1:33.10, fm.
1–CIRCLE OF LIFE (JPN), 119, f, 2, by  Epiphaneia (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Sea Breeze Life (Jpn), by Admire Japan (Jpn)
          2nd Dam: Precious Life (Jpn), by Taiki Shuttle
          3rd Dam: Star My Life, by Storm Cat
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Masatake Iida; B-Chiyoda Farm (Jpn);
T-Sakae Kunieda; J-Mirco Demuro. ¥66,288,000. Lifetime
Record: 4-3-0-1. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click
   for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lovely Your Eyes (Jpn), 119, f, 2, Logotype (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Open Your Eyes (Jpn), by Victoire Pisa (Jpn)
          2nd Dam: Ave (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
          3rd Dam: Anna Amalia (Ire), by In the Wings (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (¥10,000,000 Wlg '19 JRHAJUL).
O-Yasuyuki Iuchi; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); ¥26,368,000.
3–Water Navillera (Jpn), 119, f, 2, Silver State (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Shining Sayaka (Jpn), by King Halo (Jpn)
          2nd Dam: Shinsei Akari (Jpn), by Mayano Top Gun (Jpn)
          3rd Dam: Pink No Onepeace (Jpn), by Tosho Boy (Jpn)
1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Masato Yamaoka; B-Fushikida
Farm (Jpn); ¥16,184,000.
Margins: HF, HF, NK. Odds: 4.10, 50.20, 5.60.
Also Ran: Namur (Jpn), Namura Clair (Jpn), Belle Cresta (Jpn), Sternatia (Jpn), Statistics (Jpn), Anegohada (Jpn), Kimiwa Queen (Jpn), Saku (Jpn), Sea Cruise (Jpn), Toho la Vie En (Jpn), Dark Page (Jpn), Tana the Wing (Jpn), Personal High (Jpn), Namura Lycoris (Jpn), Hinokuni (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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