Rebel’s Romance Leaves Rivals In the Doha Dust

Godolphin's globetrotting  Rebel's Romance (Ire) (g, 6, Dubawi {Ire}–Minidress {GB}, by Street Cry {Ire}) entered Saturday's $2.5-million G3 H.H. The Amir Trophy as one of three Group 1 winners in the field of 11, yet still had something to prove.

Winless since causing a mild surprise in the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland, the homebred failed–for a variety of reasons–in two tries in America last summer, but hinted at a return to his best with an eye-catching victory at Kempton in December. He was a somewhat unexpected entry for this newly upgraded race, but his class was on full display as he dispatched of the best field ever assembled in Qatar with complete authority.

Drawn gate 10, Rebel's Romance was ridden positively by William Buick and sat three deep outside Japan's North Bridge (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) and Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}) passing the stands for the first time and was allowed to edge in front with a circuit to travel. Bowling along, ears straight-forward, turning down the back of the track at Al Rayyan, Rebel's Romance dropped anchor, and things got a bit messy behind him as a result, with North Bridge hard on the bridle for Yasunari Iwata, and Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) also firing up from midfield.

Rebel's Romance was holding firm on the run around the second bend, but Joao Moreira began to feel for Zeffiro (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) 600 metres out and he looped the field, appearing a real threat. The G1 Hong Kong Vase runner-up had dead aim on the front-runner a furlong and a half from home, but drifted badly towards the stands, and Rebel's Romance ran out a comfortable winner. Satono Glanz outfinished North Bridge for third, while defending champion Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) finished off his race soundly to be fifth.

“He really enjoyed it,” Buick said. “It wasn't plan A, but Charlie was keen to go forward from stall 10. He relaxed lovely in front. It wasn't so long ago he won a Breeders' Cup Turf, so he seems to be back to his best and it's great to come to Qatar and ride a winner. It's a big festival and I'm absolutely delighted. That was a good race, with Japanese horses, Irish and English. He had to be somewhere near his best and I'm pretty sure he was.”

Added Appleby: “We were delighted with Rebel's Romance. It was a great ride by William, and we felt the horse was back to his best heading here following a confidence-boosting win at Kempton Park.

“This is an event that is growing with importance every year and the strength of today's field showed how its status is increasing on the international stage. We are very proud to be able to support these big races on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and team Godolphin.

“I would imagine that we will look towards the Dubai Sheema Classic for Rebel's Romance, and then possibly head back out to America for the summer.”

The only treble Group 1 winner in the field, Rebel's Romance had gone winless since the Breeders' Cup. A minor issue dictated that he raced in last year's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic without a prep and he was duly beaten into a distant seventh by world champion Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) at Meydan last March. Sent to America over the summer, he clipped heels in the GII Bowling Green S. at Saratoga in July, throwing Richard Mullen heavily to the turf, and caught unsuitably easy ground during an abnormally wet period in New York when fourth at odds-on in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in October. Forced to regroup with a Breeders' Cup bid now out of play, he returned to action with a visually impressive victory in the Listed Wild Flower S. over the Kempton all-weather in December. From here, all roads lead back to Meydan in six weeks' time where the competition could include Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Japanese Triple Tiara heroine Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), among others.

Pedigree Notes:

Rebel's Romance is one of two potential starters on World Cup night for his stakes-placed dam, whose exciting son Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) took out this year's G1 Jebel Hatta, customarily a pointer to the G1 Dubai Turf.

Second dam Short Skirt was a leading member of her generation in 2006, defeating hot favourite Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) in the the G3 Musidora S. at York for Sir Michael Stoute before finishing third to that foe in the G1 Epsom Oaks. Short Skirt was subsequently second to Alexandrova in that year's G1 Yorkshire Oaks and was purchased by John Ferguson for 1.4 million guineas at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale a few months later. Short Skirt produced five winners from eight to race, including G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy hero Volcanic Sky (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}) and the dam of Japanese listed winner and Group 3-placed Due Process (GB) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}).

There is a further connection to Japan under the third dam, as Much Too Risky's champion daughter and G1 St Leger third Whitewater Affair (GB) (Machiavellian) produced Victoire Pisa (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}), a two-time champion who famously won the G1 Dubai World Cup only weeks after the devastating Japanese earthquake of 2011. Victoire Pisa's half-brother Asakusa Den'en (Jpn) (Singspiel {Ire}) won the G1 Yasuda Kinen in 2005.

Minidress is represented by a yearling full-brother to Rebel's Romance.

Saturday, Al Rayyan (Doha), Qatar
H.H. THE AMIR TROPHY (Sponsored by Longines)-G3, $2,500,000, Al Rayyan, 2-17, 4yo/up, 2400mT, 2:28.84, gd.
1–REBEL'S ROMANCE (IRE), 128, g, 6, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Minidress (GB) (SP-Eng), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Short Skirt (GB), by Diktat (GB)
3rd Dam: Much Too Risky (GB), by Bustino (GB)
O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick; $1,425,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-UAE at 9.5-11f, MG1SW-Ger, GISW-US, GSW-UAE & Eng, 17-11-0-0, $4,485,232. *1/2 to Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}), G1SW-UAE, SP-Eng, $479,650. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zeffiro (Jpn), 128, h, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Wild Wind (Ger), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Shadai Race Horse Co Ltd; B-Shadai Farm; T-Yasutoshi Ikee; J-Joao Moreira; $550,000.
3–Satono Glanz (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Satono Diamond (Jpn)–Cherry Collect (Ire), by Oratorio (Ire). (¥105,000,000 Ylg '21 JHRAJUL). O-Hajime Satomi; B-Northern Racing; T-Yasuo Tomomichi; J-Yuga Kawada; $275,000.
Margins: 3, 1 3/4, HF.
Also Ran: North Bridge (Jpn), Russian Emperor (Ire), Simca Mille (Ire), Haunted Dream (Ire), Jeff Koons (Ire), Israr (GB), Passion And Glory (Ire), Point Lonsdale (Ire).

 

Brave Emperor Hong Kong Bound Following ITM Cup

Overseas runners captured two of the three supporting features held Saturday in Doha.

In the opening event of the program, Middleham Park Racing's Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation) raced prominently throughout and managed to stave off a stinging late rally down the centre of the course from Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) to take the $500,000 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup for Archie Watson and Luke Morris. According to a report from the South China Morning Post, the 4-year-old is set to take on Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the G1 FWD Champions Mile in late April.

IRISH THOROUGHBRED MARKETING CUP (Qat-G2, NBT), $500,000, Al Rayyan, 2-17, 4yo/up, 1600mT, 1:35.10, gd.
1–BRAVE EMPEROR (IRE), 128, g, 4, Sioux Nation–Roman Gal (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). (£19,000 Ylg '21 GOFAUG). O-Middleham Park Racing; B-Caroline Hanly & Sean Ronan; T-Archie Watson; J-Luke Morris; $285,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Ity & Ger at 7-9.5f, MGSW-Ger, GSW-Fr & Ity, GSP-Swe, 16-10-3-1, $676,757.
2–Cairo (Ire), 128, c, 4, Quality Road–Cuff (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Coolmore; T-Ryan Moore; J-Aidan O'Brien; $110,000.
3–Real World (Ire), 128, g, 7, Dark Angel (Ire)–Nafura (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Saeed Bin Suroor; J-Oisin Murphy; $55,000.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, NK.

 

Oddyssey Causes Minor Upset In Al Rayyan Mile

Al Shaqab Racing's G3 Horris Hill S. winner Orne (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) was expected to be a tough nut to crack in the $400,000 Al Rayyan Mile for John and Thady Gosden, but the Gassim Ghazali-conditioned Oddyssey (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}) more than covered his 80,000gns pricetag from last fall's Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale when driving home by two lengths in a time quicker than the older horses posted in the ITM Cup.

AL RAYYAN MILE (Qat-G2, NBT), $400,000, Al Rayyan, 2-17, 3yo, 1600mT, 1:34.84, gd.
1–ODDYSSEY (GB), 128, c, 3, Ulysses (Ire)–Last Echo (Ire), by Whipper. (10,500gns Wlg '22 TATDEF; 80,000gns HRA '23 TATAUT). O-Sheikh Mohammed Salman M Al-Thani; B-Culworth Grounds Farm; T-Gassim Ghazali; J-Maxime Guyon; $228,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 8-3-0-3, $279,073.
2–Orne (Ire), 128, c, 3, Acclamation (GB)–Pellucid (GB), by Excelebration (Ire). (120,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Rahtbarry Stud; T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Robert Havlin; $88,000.
3–Soldier's Gold (Ire), 128, c, 3, Soldier's Call (GB)–Copperbeech (Ire), by Red Ransom. O-Wathnan Racing; B-Bernard & Eugene Heary; T-Alban de Mieulle; J-Mickael Barzalona; $44,000.
Margins: 2, HF, NK.

 

Team Osborne Back At It In Qatar

Less than 24 hours after making history as the first female rider to win a race at Meydan, Saffie Osborne repeated the dose–again for her father Jamie–in Saturday's $400,000 Dukhan Sprint, Sponsored By Breeders' Cup, getting home aboard Group 1 winner Emaraaty Ana (GB) just ahead of the locally based Monsieur Noir (Ire). Remarkably, each of the top two finishers is an 8-year-old gelding by Shamardal. Godolphin's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was a good third and could accompany his stablemate back to the States later in the year.

“We will probably travel out to America for the summer as we know he likes the tracks and style of racing out there,” Appleby said.

DUKHAN SPRINT (Sponsored by Breeders' Cup) (Qat-G3, NBT), $400,000, Al Rayyan, 2-17, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:09.19, gd.
1–EMARAATY ANA (GB), 128, g, 8, Shamardal–Spirit of Dubai (Ire) (SW-Eng), by Cape Cross (Ire). (160,000gns HRA '23 TATAUT). O-Barratt Racing; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited; T-Jamie Osborne; J-Saffie Osborne; $228,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, GISP-US, 34-7-5-7, $1,265,929.
2–Monsieur Noir (Ire), 128, g, 8, Shamardal–Night Frolic (GB), by Night Shift. (500,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT; 75,000gns HRA '19 TATAUT). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Highclere Stud & Floors Farming; T-Alban de Mieulle; J-Oisin Murphy; $88,000.
3–Mischief Magic (Ire), 128, c, 4, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–Veil of Silence (Ire), by Elusive Quality. O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick; $44,000.
Margins: HD, HF, NK.

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Sol Oriens, Tastiera Face Rubber Match In Kikuka Sho

While there is no Triple Crown at stake this season, Sunday's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) over about a mile and seven furlongs (3000 metres) shapes an intriguing affair nonetheless, with the winners of the first two legs locking horns with–potentially–champion 3-year-old honours at stake.

Shadai Farm's Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) was late to begin his career, but was a quick study, winning his first three trips to the post and overcoming some immature habits to best Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) by a clear margin in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) back in April. Sent off at odds-on to keep the streak alive in the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) six weeks later, the homebred conceded first run to Tastiera and got home nicely, but too late, as he finished a neck second. Sol Oriens has the benefit of a prep run, a torrid-trip second from a wide alley in the 2200-metre G2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen Sept. 18. It will be up to Takeshi Yokoyama to work out a trip from barrier 14 on Sunday.

“It was a pity about the result last time, but there were no problems with him after it, and it was a good-enough result to look to this next race with him,” said Yokoyama. “He's currently not too tense, and he's worked well right up to the end of his training. I'd like some revenge for the Derby, so I'm hoping for a good result.”

 

 

 

Joao Moreira is in to ride Tastiera for Noriyuki Hori in his first start since the Derby, where he was piloted by Australia's Damian Lane. The Carrot Farm colourbearer defeated Top Knife (Jpn) (Declaration of War) by a length when prepping for the Guineas in March, but was soundly beaten by 1 1/4 lengths in the first leg of the Triple Crown. He was perhaps a fraction fortunate that Sol Oriens did not commence his stretch rally a bit sooner at Tokyo, as Lane breathed a sigh of relief, and he'll critically be spotting Sol Oriens race-readiness this weekend.

“He has a lot of stamina, and he doesn't show any sign of stopping when he's running, so I think he can take on his opponents this time without any worries,” the conditioner commented. “It was a very hot summer, and I think it's to his advantage that he's coming back for a race just now, even though that wasn't the original plan.”

There is plenty of depth in Sunday's race beneath the top two. Hearts Concerto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) ran home to be a brave third at longshot odds in the Derby and he, too, has a tightener under his belt, having finished a close fifth behind Derby 11th Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}), Savona (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) and Phantom Thief (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB})–eighth in the Derby–in the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai (2400m) Sept. 24. Top Knife has also since franked the Derby form with an outstanding runner-up effort to the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn)-bound budding superstar Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Sapporo Kinen Aug. 20. Nocking Point (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), a sound fifth behind Tastiera at Tokyo, resumed with a victory in the G3 Niigata Kinen Sept. 3.

Durezza (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), whose sire provided 2021 Kikuka Sho hero Titleholder (Jpn), gets his most serious test to date, but has earned the right to be here with four wins on the trot in the lower grades.

“He's been moving well and not showing any tiredness,” said Christophe Lemaire, who sees fit to take the call. “It's a big challenge in a Group 1, but he has potential and I think he has a chance.”

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Seven Days: The Remarkable Jarvis Training Dynasty 

As we stand braced for five consecutive weekends of Group 1 action in France and Britain, it is a sign of course that the Flat season of 2023 is drawing to a close, albeit with a bang rather than a whimper.

As announced in the Racing Post on Sunday, these final skirmishes on the turf will also bring with them the ending of the longest-running family training dynasty in Britain when William Jarvis saddles his final runner after 38 years with a licence. You could say he was born to it, following not just in his father's footsteps, but those of his grandfather and two generations before that, as well as various uncles and relatives, which include members of the notable Leader, Rickaby and Hall families. More than that though, Jarvis is simply a really good bloke who will be much missed among the Newmarket training ranks and beyond, especially in his role as a proactive and industrious president of the Newmarket Trainers' Federation. 

In a sense, the Group 1 winners Grand Lodge (Chief's Crown) and Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) served as book-ends for Jarvis's training career, which commenced in 1985 after he had worked in Australia as an assistant to George Hanlon and Tommy Smith, and back in Newmarket to Henry Cecil.

It was at the latter's Warren Place where Jarvis would have first encountered the stock of Lord Howard de Walden, in whose famous apricot silks ran such great names as the Cecil-trained Slip Anchor (GB), Kris (GB) and Diesis (GB).

The same owner-breeder's Weld (GB) became an important early group winner for Jarvis in the Doncaster Cup and Jockey Club Cup of 1989 and he was followed several years later by Grand Lodge. As the trainer's first Group 1 winner, he ensured that Phantom House Stables remained very much on the map with his victory in the Dewhurst S., followed the next year by an agonising short-head defeat by Mister Baileys (GB) in the 2,000 Guineas before he notched his second top-level success in the St James's Palace S. Jarvis also oversaw the careers of Grand Lodge's sister Papabile and half-sister La Persiana (GB) (Daylami {Ire}), both of whom were dual Listed winners. More recently, those colours were carried to success for Phantom House and Lady Howard de Walden by the G3 Lillie Langtry S. victrix Gravitation (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).

“I was very lucky in the early days to have had the support of some English owner-breeders. It gave me a real headstart to have had Mr Jim Joel's colours and Lord Howard de Walden's colours hanging in the racing tack room. That was always very special,” Jarvis said, while acknowledging that the demise of the owner-breeder has been one of the major changes in the near-four decades that he has been training. 

“Mr Joel and Lord Howard de Walden never sold a yearling or a foal. Every single horse they bred was put into training,” he said. “Even now, if you look at Cheveley Park Stud and Mr Oppenheimer and the Lloyd-Webbers: I would classify them as commercial owner-breeders. They sell some of their colts and to an extent they have to balance the books.

“The game has changed completely, that's for sure, and whether it's changed for the better is for other people to comment on. To an extent, and it's not a chippy remark at all, but it is becoming a bit more polarised, and the big are getting bigger, and the middle tier and smaller tier of professionals are going to be up against it.”

Jarvis, who turns 63 next month, has three children who have steered different courses, but he admits that he only ever really had a desire to continue the Jarvis family tradition. His sister Jane George, who is married to Tattersalls' marketing director Jimmy George, is a director of the Newmarket-based International Racing Bureau.

“It was important to me, and I felt very honoured to be part of it, because my father was a pretty good trainer and my grandfather trained for King George V and trained Classic winners for the royal family from Egerton. My uncles, Jack Jarvis and Basil Jarvis, trained [Derby winners] Blue Peter and Papyrus, and Jack was given a knighthood for services to racing. My great-grandfather was a trainer and so, I'm pretty sure, was my great-great-grandfather. From the 1880s there has been a Jarvis training in Newmarket.”

Sir Jack Jarvis, one of three sons of William Arthur Jarvis to train a British Classic winner, was indeed the first racehorse trainer to be knighted by the late Queen in 1967. A history of some of Newmarket's most famous training yards would doubtless unearth that a member of the Jarvis family had trained there at some stage, with Palace House, Park Lodge, Egerton House, Hackness Villa, Green Lodge and La Grange all included on that list, along with the now-defunct Waterwitch House and Warren House 

Jarvis added, “My father trained at Clarehaven for a while, after the war until 1952 when he bought Phantom House.”

While the conclusion of this season will bring about an end to his participation from Phantom House, he will remain in situ with plans to rent out the stables to Dylan Cunha, who already rents the bottom yard. 

“I have a young grandson now but it's not going to be pipe and slippers,” he said. “I need to find something to keep the adrenaline going. That's the thing about our industry, every day there's something to get the adrenaline going. It's not really a job, it's 24/7 and you have to overcome a lot of things as a racehorse trainer, but it's also a wonderful way of life and I've loved it.

“Newmarket is unique and long may it last. We've had a great time. I've had some wonderful staff over the years and I've trained for some wonderful people.

“It is sad, of course it is, but having said that I'm happy, I'm relieved, and I've had a wonderful career – well, I've enjoyed it, I don't know if other people have.”

Anyone who was present at Glorious Goodwood two years ago when Lady Bowthorpe won the Nassau S. for Emma Banks would have heard and seen how much “other people” truly enjoyed a Group 1 winner trained by the eminent and popular William Jarvis.

“That meant a lot,” he recalled. “It was very humbling.”

Niarchos Restructuring

The Niarchos family's racing manager Alan Cooper was keen to stress that the sale of a significant number of the operation's mares at Goffs in November represents a restructuring of the breeding empire rather than a dispersal, but it was nevertheless a startling press release to receive. 

From three different consignors – Baroda Stud, Kiltinan Castle Stud and Norelands – 44 mares will be offered for sale, including the four-time Group 1 winner and Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and her half-sister Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who emulated her sibling by winning the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot. The sisters are offered in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire) and Frankel (GB) respectively, and a full list of the mares being consigned, along with their covering sires, can be found here. 

“The family will have the opportunity to set reserves on the stock as they see fit,”  Cooper told TDN's Brian Sheerin. “The racing stables will continue to be supported by foals, yearlings, two-year-olds and older horses that are already in the system.”
Such a reassurance was music to the ears of anyone who has followed racing over a number of decades with a keen eye on the pedigrees of the top horses, for a Niarchos influence is never far from the winner's circle. The chance to buy into some of the family's best bloodstock presents an extremely rare opportunity that will draw breeders from across the globe to Goffs' Kildare Paddocks.

Sleepy in Name Only

Just in case you were in danger of thinking that Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) was the star of the show at Hughie Morrison's stable, up jumped the redoubtable 11-year-old Not So Sleepy (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) to remind us all that there's plenty of life in the old boy yet. 

The two horses both race for their breeders Lord and Lady Blyth and, though unrelated, have a similar way of going: jump out smartly and try to make all. This was indeed the method of Not So Sleepy's latest win in the Dubai Duty Free Autumn Cup at Newbury on Saturday, which was his fifth on the Flat, his first having come on his debut nine years ago at Nottingham. Since those days, he has also won the Listed Dee S. and has been Group 3-placed but has enjoyed even greater success over hurdles. The peak of his five National Hunt wins came when he dead-heated with champion hurdler Epatante (Fr) in the G1 Fighting Fifth in 2021. 

Not So Sleepy had not raced since his fifth-place finish in the Champion Hurdle in March, and he may yet head to the Cesarewitch before returning to hurdles.

Ittlingen Strikes Again

For the second weekend running, the colours of breeder Gestut Ittlingen returned to the winner's enclosure after a group race, each time borne by the offspring of the late Adlerflug (Ger). The previous weekend had seen victory for Lordano (Ger) in the G3 Deutsches St Leger, which was followed seven days later for victory in the G1 Grosser Preis von Europa for the mare India (Ger), who is both pretty and pretty talented. 

The five-year-old, trained by Waldemar Hickst, became the eighth Group 1 winner for Adlerflug, and it is worth reflecting in this week that his success is not restricted to Germany, as his son Torquator Tasso (Ger) won the Arc two years ago, 12 months after another, the Deutsches Derby winner In Swoop (Ger), had finished second. Another son, Alenquer (Fr), won last year's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland. For a stallion that has only had 272 runners to date, and not that many more to come, a ratio of 10.7% stakes winners to runners reads well.

Italian Flavour to Japanese Success

The Irish Oaks winner and Arc runner-up Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was arguably the best known of the offspring of Holy Moon (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}) on the international stage, but the mare also produced a trio of winners of the Oaks d'Italia.

The three – Charity Line (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), Final Score (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), and Cherry Collect (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) – were all bred by the Botti family's Razza del Velino and have all subsequently been sold to Japan for their broodmare careers.

The most successful in this secondary phase to date is Cherry Collect, whose three-year-old son Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}), bred by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm, won Sunday's G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai, his second victory at that level. He is the mares's sixth winner from six consecutive foals to race, along with the Listed winner and Grade 2-placed Wakea (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and Listed winner Diana Bright (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Charity Line has produced three winners from her three runners, while Final Score has also produced three winners to date.

The sisters will not be the only Italian Oaks winners to be gracing the paddocks at Northern Farm as Katsumi Yoshida also purchased this year's winner, Shavasana (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) from her owner Mario Sansoni prior to her Classic success. She too was bred by Razza Del Velino and trained by Stefano Botti.

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Betting On ‘Black’ In The Tokyo Yushun

Equinox (Jpn) was fractionally unlucky to not reel in Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the 2022 G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), falling just a neck short after sustaining a long rally from near the end of the field. The flashy colt got the last laugh when named Japan's Horse of the Year, and his sire Kitasan Black (Jpn) has every chance to sire the quinella in this year's renewal at the Fuchu Racecourse Sunday afternoon.

The two runners may be more closely matched than it appears on paper. Sol Oriens (Jpn) will start a warm favourite in the world's richest Derby, and deservedly so, having come from a near-impossible position and having overcome his own greenness to decision Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) in very testing ground at Nakayama a month and a half ago. Scary as it could be, that was just the third start of his career and there is likely improvement to come, though the Derby and its full field dictate that there is little to no margin for error. To that end, his conditioner believes he is ready for Sunday's task.

“I think his performance in the Satsuki Sho was good,” said Takahisa Tezuka. “I had had my doubts about whether he could do well over the heavy ground and how he would do with the inside gate and the big field. But he came though well on all points. In his trackwork, he has been taking the bit better with each race and is much more forward than before.

“I think 2400 metres is well within reach. I think the ground and the times will be fast and I think those conditions suit him. I'm not worried. On the contrary, I'm happy to see him race on fast ground.”

 

 

 

In the opposite corner is chief market rival Skilfing (Jpn), who overcame a difficult wide trip beneath Christophe Lemaire to defeat the re-opposing Heart's Concerto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) by a half-length in the G2 Aoba Sho over this course and distance Apr. 29. While the duo drew gates 11 and four last time, respectively, Skilfing leaves from barrier two and Heart's Concerto from 11 this time around.

“After the Aoba Sho, I was glad to see that he came out of the race well, and I consider him to be a very reliable horse,” his trainer Tetsuya Kimura said. “He works well with the rider, listens well and responds well to what the jockey asks of him. I think all his experience at Tokyo should stand him well.”

Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}) has also already scored over the Derby trip, having improved from his maiden to win a 1-win class conditions at Hanshin in March, and he made it three on the trot with a narrow victory in the G2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai over a mile and three furlongs May 6. He will have to overcome post 18, as Equinox did last year, but has a capable reinsman in the form of Yuga Kawada.

Phantom Thief (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) may not have preferred the soft underfoot conditions in the Satsuki Sho, but managed third all the same, and can improve on a sounder surface Sunday. Farther under the radar is Hrimfaxi (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), the half-brother to the classy Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who was a well-backed ninth in the Guineas, but was buried down on the worst part of the track for most of the opening mile and seems better than what he showed at Nakayama.

Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), who upset last year's G1 Hopeful S. at 89-1, returns to the turf after finishing runner-up to Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) in the G2 UAE Derby on the dirt at Meydan Mar. 25.

 

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