Tag: Yoshito Yahagi

Siyouni Day at Arqana as Sottsass’s Brother Heads to Japan

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin

DEAUVILLE, France–If two of the certainties in life are death and taxes, the third, in the world of bloodstock at least, is that if a yearling out of Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) turns up at the Arqana August Sale then he or she will steal the limelight.

This time it was a colt (lot 154), a full-brother to the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) no less, whose arrival in the ring around 6 p.m. ensured standing room only in Arqana's upper tier as industry professionals and holidaymakers alike strained to see which players would go into battle to try to buy him. In the end, it came down to who could hold their nerve the longest between David Redvers, standing alongside Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and looking down into the seats below where Yoshito Yahagi was taking instructions by telephone. The Japanese trainer eventually had the final nod at €2.1 million to push the colt's breeder and vendor Ecurie des Monceaux back into the top spot on the list of consignors.

“It's a really good pedigree and he's a very well-made colt. I loved him. He's Sottsass's brother, and My Sister Nat was second to my horse [Loves Only You] at last year's Breeders' Cup. She's also a very good filly.”

The globe-trotting trainer, who earlier in the day had saddled Bathrat Leon (Jpn) in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, said, “I will take him to Japan and I hope he will win the Japanese Derby, then I hope to bring him back to France later.”

 

Of course it is not only Sottsass and My Sister Nat (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}) to have advertised the merits of their mother at the top level. It was the outstanding Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) who really got the ball rolling for the mare with her seven Grade I wins, and 3-year-old filly Pure Dignity (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who topped this sale two years ago in its later September slot, has also impressed on her sole winning outing to date for Roger Varian.

A frenetic post-racing session at Arqana brought another €15,612,000 to the overall tally, which has been boosted by the sale of three seven-figure lots so far. The 67 yearlings sold on Sunday evening represented a clearance rate of 84%, with the average climbing to €233,015 and the median to €140,000. Comparative figures for the reformatted sale will be provided at the end of the final session on Monday.

 

 

The Pride of Monceaux

The session started in sensational fashion for Ecurie des Monceaux with the sale of the Siyouni colt, and through trade was patchy at times, the leading consignor quickly reasserted its dominance at Arqana, and by the end of two days had sold 25 yearlings for €8,810,000.

Monceaux principal Henri Bozo said of Sottsass's brother, “That was a fantastic sale. You always have to be very happy when you sell a horse at a price like that. It was a great pride. It's a great pride to have a mare like that, it was a great pride to have the staff to bring a horse like that to sale. It's really only happiness. It will be very interesting to follow a horse in Japan and with a trainer like Mr. Yahagi. So it will be a new step and very interesting. To be honest, I had no idea who was going to buy him.

“There were three or four groups of serious players interested in him, and I didn't know who was going to buy him, but I was confident he was going to sell well. The horse was showing himself well. He's a good horse–he's a very good horse–and he came into the ring with so much pride and self-confidence. It was very nice.”

Late in the session, the names of both Monceaux and Siyouni were back in lights as the first foal of the listed-winning Shamardal mare Aviatress (Ire) (lot 216) became the third millionaire of the sale when sold for €1.4 million to Alex Solis and Jason Litt on behalf of the filly's co-breeders Larry, Nanci and Jaime Roth of LNJ Foxwoods, a parents-daughter team who have owned horses since 2012.

Solis said, “The Roths actually owned the mare with Henri. We are partners and we've known about her the whole time. She's been a star since she was a foal and we were very excited to watch her grow and to come here. She's a spectacular filly. The Roths race a lot of fillies but this one had to come to auction as she was owned in partnership and we didn't want to let her go.”

Monceaux also sold a Dubawi (Ire) filly out of the listed-winning Galileo mare Birch Grove (Ire) for €575,000. It was perhaps no surprise to see the auctioneer bring the hammer down for lot 226 towards the buyer in the corridor to the right of the rostrum, the favoured of Anthony Stroud, who signed for the filly on behalf of Godolphin.

 

Blueblooded Kingman for Japan

Yoshito Yahagi wasn't finished when signing for the session-topper and later provided Elise Drouet of Domaine de l'Etang with a great return by going to €560,000 for a colt by Kingman (GB) from the family of Arc winner Waldgeist (GB). Offered this time as lot 183, the son of the Group 2 runner-up Waldjagd (GB) (Observatory) had been put through the ring as a foal and made €280,000 when co-breeder Drouet bought out her partner, Ecurie de Cachene.

The colt has plenty of pedigree behind him to support such lofty prices. His half-siblings include Group 2 winner Waldbiene (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) and listed winner Urwald (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), while his granddam Wurftaube (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) is responsible for the G1 Deutsches Derby winner Waldpark (Ger) as well as the dam of G1 St Leger winner Masked Marvel (Ger) and granddam of Waldgeist.

 

Haras de la Louviere Fillies Star

Lady O'Reilly's Haras de la Louviere is a staple of the Arqana August Sale and within three lots on Sunday evening the stud recorded two excellent results for fillies bred in two separate partnerships.

Lot 199, a filly by Siyouni (Fr) who was sold for €600,000 to Nicolas Clement, was bred with Charles-Henri de Moussac. She is a daughter of the dual Grade III winner Aigue Marine (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), whose dam Aiglonne (Silver Hawk) was bought by the partners more than two decades ago and is the dam of Group 1 winner Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

After signing for the filly in the company of her new owner, Clement, who also trains her half-sister, the listed winner Fenelon (Fr) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), explained, “I met Dr. Tallaj last year at Saratoga and he has horses with my brother, Christophe. We bought Galifa here in December and started a company called RT Racing, the same as he has in America. We've had three winners and we want more so [we] bought this filly.”

Dr. Ramon Tallaj added, “This filly will be running in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in a couple of years' time. Nicolas will make that happen. The atmosphere here is very good. This is my first time and I will continue coming back.”

 

Just moments later the second foal of the listed-placed Ambivalence (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 202), a daughter of Wootton Bassett (GB), brought €750,000 when knocked down to Richard Knight.

The agent was unable to disclose the filly's new owner but said of the filly whose fourth dam is the influential Allegretta (Ger), “She will stay here in France. She was bought for a client of mine who picked her out and we thought she was an absolute queen. For me she was the best filly in the sale. I love the stallion Wootton Bassett and the mare is stakes-placed. She's also a second foal, which I love as well.”

Reflecting on the sale of the two fillies, Lady O'Reilly said, “We were lucky. They are two well-bred and very athletic fillies, and I think in this sale the physique has to correspond with pedigree. So we just got lucky: good stallions and good mares from very good families.”

She continued, “The Siyouni is in partnership with Charles-Henri de Moussac. We bought her granddam Aiglonne 24 years ago and we raced her and we still have a filly.

“The other one we also bought the granddam with Edouard de Rothschild and she's from Urban Sea's family. We have her and we have three other fillies that we are putting in training.”

Lady O'Reilly noted that Aigue Marine has a filly foal by the late Le Havre (Ire) and is in foal to Wootton Bassett, while Ambivalence is now in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire).

 

Juddmonte Snap Up Two Colts

On a day when Inspiral (GB), one of the best daughters of Frankel (GB), swooped to G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois glory, backed up by the Group 3 victory of Eternal Pearl (GB) in the Prix Minerve, Juddmonte pounced to secure lot 148, a handsome chestnut colt by the stud's decorated stallion and from the breeder of Eternal Pearl for €450,000.

Simon Mockridge of Juddmonte revealed that the Haras de Saint Pair-drafted colt out of Spain Burg (Fr) (Sageburg {Ire}) will be trained in Ireland. He added that a decision on whether he will be sent to Ger Lyons or Dermot Weld, the only handlers employed by the world-famous operation in that country, hasn't yet been made.

He said, “Spain Burg (Fr) was a very good 2-year-old, had plenty of speed, and Frankel is having a fantastic season. He's had seven Group 1 winners this season and we saw Inspiral winning today, which was great.”

Mockridge added, “He's a phenomenal stallion and, of course, we want to support him. He'll go back to Barry Mahon who'll manage him in Ireland. He'll get broken and then we will decide with the family where the horse goes.”

Spain Burg won four times as a juvenile in 2016, including the G2 Rockfel S. at Newmarket, where she got the better of Juddmonte's Fair Eva (GB) (Frankel {GB}). She also fetched a whopping €1.5 million at the end of that 2-year-old campaign at the Arqana Arc Sale.

However, after failing to win in two starts at three for Nicolas Clement, Spain Burg was snapped up by White Birch Farm the following winter at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale for 650,000gns.

Six lots later , Juddmonte signed up a second colt (lot 155) of the evening, by Night Of Thunder (Ire) and consigned by Haras d'Etreham. Bought for €220,000, the bay colt is the second foal of the Jim Bolger-bred and -trained dual Group 3 winner Steip Amach (Ire) (Vocalised). The mare's half-sister Fidaaha (Ire} (New Approach {Ire}) is the dam of Malavath (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}), winner of last season's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte as well as being placed in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

 

Brisk but Brilliant Business for Ballylinch

There can be few businesses that bag €860,000 within the space of 10 minutes, but Ballylinch Stud is not any old business. One of the most beautiful studs in Ireland, Ballylinch brought a strong draft to Deauville, including two fillies by their own Lope De Vega (Ire), and an Invincible Spirit (Ire) filly (lot 187) who elevated the County Kilkenny operation beyond the €1-million mark for the opening two days in quick-fire fashion.

Lot 190, the Lope De Vega filly out of Xaarienne (GB) (Xaar {GB}), the dam of three different black-type performers, did best and went the way of China Horse Club for €320,000.

The other Lope De Vega filly (lot 189) out of the homebred Witches Brew (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) was sold to Rabbah Bloodstock for €260,000, while the Invincible Spirit out of Wild Irish Rose (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was knocked down to Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock for €280,000.

Ballylinch Stud manager John O'Connor said, “They are three really nice fillies. With the way things fell, they went through the ring within the space of a few minutes of each other so it was very concentrated. We knew we had really nice fillies and we knew that a lot of people liked them.

“The Invincible Spirit filly was bought by Tom Goff, who is an excellent judge, and I understand she was bought for George Strawbridge but I'm not sure where she's going. Wherever she goes, I'm sure she'll do well.”

And she is bred to do well. Wild Irish Rose won twice for Aidan O'Brien, including the Listed Stanerra S. at Leopardstown, and is a half-sister to black-type performer Cradle Mountain (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and from a good Ballymacoll Stud family that can be traced back to Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells).

O'Connor added, “The Lope De Vega out of Witches Brew is a full-sister to Antonia De Vega (Ire). She's a lovely-moving filly and has a lot of residual value as a future broodmare but she should make a lovely racing filly as well.

“The last one [lot 190] was bought by Matt Houldsworth for China Horse Club and she was an exceptional filly. All three were very busy and they did what we expected.”

Witches Brew, who carried the Ballylinch Stud colours to victory and achieved black-type when in training with Eddie Lynam, is a half-sister to pattern horses Al Wukair (Ire) (Dream Ahead (Ire) and Dream Today (Ire) (Dream Ahead) and is from the family of French Oaks winner Caerlina (Ire) (Caerleon).

As well as winning twice, Xaarienne bagged black-type in France and has already confirmed herself as a proven producer of talent thanks to Group 3 winner See The Rose (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}), who recently sold for 500,000gns at the Tattersalls July Sale.

The dream 10 minutes or so enjoyed by Ballylinch on Sunday followed on from a productive start with a filly by Too Darn Hot (GB), a colt by Waldgeist (GB) and a filly by Sea The Stars (Ire) fetching €475,000 collectively the previous day. The stud has one lot left to sell on Monday, a colt by Lope De Vega (lot 241).

 

Half-brother to Treve Goes To Al Shaqab

Al Shaqab Racing enjoyed some of its best days on a racecourse with Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), the dual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine, and the story continues with the powerful owners securing the legendary racemare's half-brother by Intello (Ger) for €260,000.

Consigned by Haras du Quesnay, lot 171 was bought by Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International, who has had an extremely busy two days after signing for 14 individual lots.

De Watrigant said, “We bought him for Al Shaqab. Obviously to win the Arc with Treve gave the Al Shaqab team great joy. He was a beautiful colt.”

The final session of the Arqana August Sale gets underway on Monday at 5:30 p.m.

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Yahagi Seeking More Global Success in July Cup

Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi has had quite the year on the international stage and his next target is this Saturday's G1 Darley July Cup with King Hermes (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}).

The 3-year-old colt, winner of the GII Keio Hai Nisai S. last season, arrived in Newmarket on June 24 with his stablemate Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who is set to run in the G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood. King Hermes got his first taste of the July Course on Tuesday morning when working five furlongs under jockey Ryusei Sakai and accompanied by two geldings trained by Roger Varian and John Berry.

After watching his horse school in the pre-parade and parade rings in a relaxed manner which continued throughout the exercise, Yahagi, who arrived in the UK on Monday and was speaking via interpreter Kanichi Kusano of the Japan Racing Association, said, “I am conscious that the horse lost his speed in the last furlong and maybe that was the hill but this work will make him understand how to run on race day.”

King Hermes, who has made just five starts and has not run over six furlongs since his juvenile debut in June 2021, has more recently been tested at a mile, but his trainer is not concerned with the drop back in trip for the July Cup, with the undulations of the course being a factor in this decision.

He continued, “I feel that the ideal distance for this horse is seven furlongs but since you have the incline here then maybe reducing to six furlongs will suit him as well.

“I was worried about his inexperience until I saw the horses today, but now I have seen him I feel quite confident for the July Cup. I specifically love the July Cup and the July Course and it would be a real honour if I was fortunate enough to win this race.”

It will be a first ride in the UK for Ryusei Sakai, who has international race-riding experience in Australia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and France as well as at home in Japan. Yahagi is however familiar with Newmarket having spent three months on a Dubai-sponsored scholarship with Geoff Wragg's stable in 1990.

His love of travel have not abated since then. He last saddled runners in England at Royal Ascot a decade ago, but in the past year his profile on the world stage has risen, with a Breeders' Cup double courtesy of Marche Loraine (Jpn) and Loves Only You (Jpn) at Del Mar. This feat was followed by victory for Stay Foolish (Jpn) in the Longines Red Sea Turf H. on the Saudi Cup card and a treble on Dubai World Cup night with the aforementioned Bathrat Leon and Stay Foolish in the G2 Godolphin Mile and G2 Dubai Gold Cup respectively, while Panthalassa (Jpn) dead-heated with Lord North (Ire) in the G1 Dubai Turf. In among those international successes, Yahagi's Triple Crown winner of 2021, Contrail (Jpn), bowed out with victory in the G1 Japan Cup in November. 

Japan has been represented by a July Cup winner in Agnes World, who won the race as a 5-year-old in 2000 for Hideyuki Mori in the hands of Yutaka Take.

Recalling this success for his home nation, Yahagi commented, “It is very difficult to compare King Hermes to [Agnes World] who was a very good sprinter. This horse is young and inexperienced but we are just looking forward to the experience.”

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Dead Heat Between Panthalassa and Lord North in the Dubai Turf

In a race for the ages that three horses deserved to win, the brave pacesetter Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and defending champ Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) could not be separated and a dead-heat was eventually declared. A full eight minutes passed after a course-record smashing renewal of the $5-million G1 Dubai Turf before a stunned Meydan Racecourse audience knew which of the trio had emerged victorious in a desperately close finish.

Sparkling trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who was savoring his third win on the card, exclaimed, “We've had a lot of good luck today so we didn't think we'd lose! I've never known a wait like that in a photo finish.”

Then, the fast-finishing Vin De Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was declared a hard luck third despite being well in front just past the wire. His disappointed jockey Mickael Barzalona said, “My horse ran a very good race. We were unlucky.”

As the the eventual winning pair circled the walking ring with their connections anxiously awaiting the judge's decision, racing pundits marveled over whether they had ever witnessed a more exciting race in World Cup night history.

Under jockey Yutaka Yoshida, Panthalassa, a Group 2-winning entire in his native Japan who had never ventured outside of his homeland, bagged the early lead, set demanding fractions and gave his all while racing closest to the far side rail.

A pleased Yoshida said, “It was a very good run from my horse and he did all that I asked of him and only just managed to hold on at the end.”

Flanked on both sides by his Japanese-trained revivals, Lord North, a 6-year-old gelding who had broken the Meydan course record in last year's renewal when beating Vin De Garde by three lengths, benefited from regular rider Frankie Dettori's patience and a well-timed bid.

Awaiting the verdict, Dettori said, “I thought I was beaten on the line so I will settle for a dead-heat if it's available. He had half the year off, he almost died last year so to get him back performing at this level, it is a credit to the team.”

The winners stopped the timer in 1:45.77 besting Lord North's mark of 1:46.46 for the 1800-metre distance.

A poised John Gosden, co-trainer with his son Thady of defending champion Lord North, said, “That's a very fair result as we got ourselves in a bit of a Japanese sandwich there and those horses are so tough. They've been buying horses for the last 30 years or so and their investment is paying dividends, they've come here and knocked us for six–they've gone and won four races now.”

He continued, “I'm thrilled with our boy. He's been off for a year with a very nasty throat infection and we've managed to get him back in time.”

The 4-year-old Newmarket-based filly Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), ridden by Hollie Doyle, finished best of the rest, 3 1/2 lengths behind the winners. Her satisfied trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam said, “She ran a great race. I'm really delighted. she's so tough and we'll have a lot of fun with her this year.”

If the race had a disappointment, it was the highly-regarded Japanese colt Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}), who crossed the line in eighth. His jockey Christophe Lemaire said, “He had a good trip in the middle. He didn't finish like I expected. He is better than that.”

The William Haggas-trained Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) cost himself his chance when sluggish to begin. He ended up 10th in the field of 14.

The 2004 renewal of the race, then known as the Dubai Duty Free and contested at Nad Al Sheba, finished in a dead-heat between Paolini (Ger) (Lando {Ger}) and Right Approach (GB) (Machiavellian).

Pedigree Notes

The five-year-old horse Panthalassa was sired by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), a world-class sprinter who won 13 of his 19 races and is best known as the sire of G1 Hong Kong Sprint winner Danon Smash (Jpn) and the redoubtable champion Almond Eye (Jpn), a multiple Group 1 winner in Japan and Dubai. His dam is Miss Pemberley (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), who raced six times in Japan without winning. Five of her eight foals have won in Japan with Dimension (Jpn) and Etendard (Jpn), a pair of Deep Impact fillies, joining Panthalassa as Japanese black-type performers.

Lord North, a gelded son of Champion sire Dubawi, was bred by Godolphin in Ireland. Raced by HH Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing, his dam is Najoum (Giant's Causeway), a Kentucky-born Godolphin homebred, who won two of her four lifetime starts and showed promise as a 2-year-old winning a seven-furlong race on turf and an eight-furlong race on Polytrack. Najoum is a half-sister to GI Blue Grass S. winner and former Kentucky-based stallion Bandini (Fusaichi Pegasus). In addition to Lord North, Najoum has produced three other foals with the horse Chronicles (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}), winner of a 10-furlong Irish maiden race as a 3-year-old, being her only other winner.

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI TURF SPONSORED BY DP WORLD-G1, $5,000,000, Meydan, 3-26, 3yo/up, 9fT, 1:45.77, gd.
(DH)-1–LORD NORTH (IRE), 126, g, 6, by Dubawi (Ire)
                1st Dam: Najoum, by Giant's Causeway
                2nd Dam: Divine Dixie, by Dixieland Band
                3rd Dam: Hail Atlantis, by Seattle Slew
O-HH Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing; B-Godolphin (IRE);
T-John Gosden; J-Frankie Dettori. $1,175,000. Lifetime Record:
G1SW-Eng,  15-8-4-1, $4,209,593. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
(DH)-1–PANTHALASSA  (JPN), 126, h, 5, by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Miss Pemberley (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Stitching (Ire), by High Estate (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Itching (Ire), by Thatching (Ire)
O-Hiroo Race Co Ltd; B-Pangloss Y K, Toshihiro Hirosaki et al
(JPN); T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Yutaka Yoshida. $1,175,000. Lifetime
Record: GSW-Jpn, 20-6-4-0, $2,888,474. *1/2 to Etendard
(Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), GSP-Jpn, $770,677; and Dimension
(Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), MGSP-Jpn, $1,030,766. Werk Nick
Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
3–Vin de Garde (Jpn), 126, h, 6, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Skia (Fr), by
Motivator (GB). O-Shadai Race Horse Co Ltd; B-Shadai Farm
(JPN); T-Hideaki Fujiwara. $500,000.
Margins: DHT, NO, 3HF.
Also Ran: Saffron Beach (Ire), Sir Busker (Ire), My Oberon (Ire), Alfareeq (Ire), Schnell Meister (Ger), Colonel Liam, Mohaafeth (Ire), Ursa Minor (Ire), Haqeeqy (Ire), Desert Fire (Ire), Harrovian (GB). Scratched: Finest Sound (Ire), Lord Glitters (Fr).
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree of Lord North or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree of Panthalassa.

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Japanese Utopia in Godolphin Mile For Kizuna Colt

Japan's Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) led his foes on a merry dance in the $1-million G2 Godolphin Mile Sponsored by Nakheel, and gave his renowned trainer Yoshito Yahagi–yet another victory on the international stage at Meydan on Saturday. The second winner to fly the flag of the Land of the Rising Sun since Utopia (Jpn) (Forty Niner) in 2006, Bathrat Leon carries the colors of Hiroo Race Co. Ltd. Desert Wisdom (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) tried to make a race of it in the stretch, but was never really getting to the winner, while the highly regarded Storm Damage (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) applied some early pressure, but eventually faded to a distant third.

Not the quickest away but immediately sent up to contest the pace with Storm Damage, the bay established a half-length advantage while pressed by that foe. Travelling sweetly entering the bend, positions were largely unchanged, but Bankit (Central Banker) drew up to the outside of Storm Damage. Desert Wisdom was glued to the fence inside of that pair, but they all had Bathrat Leon to catch at the 600-metre mark.

Christophe Soumillon gave the Godolphin runner his cue, but Bathrat Leon had stolen a march on his rivals and opened up to lead by over a length with less than a quarter mile to go. Desert Wisdom came storming up the rail as Bankit faded, but the writing was on the wall. Storm Damage began to back up and Desert Wisdom ground his way into second, but he was running out of ground to reach the pacesetter. At the line, the Yahagi runner was 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Desert Wisdom, who had put 3 1/4 between himself and Storm Damage. It was four lengths back to Soliste Thunder (Jpn) (Toby's Corner) in fourth.

Winning jockey Ryusei Sakai said, “The plan was to go forward and just go quick. Everything worked out and the horse kept going. I think he preferred the dirt surface here more than in Japan. Mr. Yahagi is one of the best trainers in the world. It's a great result.”

Sakai, who has been riding for Yahagi in Japan for seven years, since he was an apprentice, added, “This was my dream and dreams come true. He [was expected] to run a good race in the last three days. His concentration is very good. I got the lead easily. He was travelling very well. I still wasn't very confident because you have American horses in behind who have speed and are very good.”

Yahagi has really showcased his talents as a trainer during the past five months or so, with wins in both the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff with Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) and the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf with Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in November. The latter also claimed the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup in December, and Yahagi's runners' success continued on Saudi Cup day, Feb. 26. His Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold) {Jpn}) captured the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf Cup, and would go on to land the G2 Dubai Gold Cup just one race after Bathrat Leon's win on Saturday.

Yahagi said, “He's a good strong front-runner and we know the bends well, so he got a good start and he pushed and he was able to keep it up to the line. We got our tactics right.”

Cristian Demuro, who rode Soliste Thunder, said, “Good run from a wide gate. The dirt here is different to that in Japan. Pretty happy with him.”

Of the well-beaten favourite Al Nefud (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), jockey Tadhg O'Shea said, “He has finished lame.”

The last time Bathrat Leon visited the winner's circle was in the G2 New Zealand Trophy in April of 2021. Since that effort, he lost his way, failing to finish the G1 NKH Mile Cup that May, and then reeled off five straight off-the-board finishes. Thirteenth to Soliste Thunder over this distance in the G3 Tokyo Chunichi Sports Hai Musashino S. in November, he ran ninth on firm turf in the G3 Sports Nippon Sho Kyoto Kimpai at Chukyo on Jan. 5 when last seen.

Pedigree Notes

One of 16 black-type winners and 10 at the group level for his sire Kizuna, Bathrat Leon joins G2 Prix Foy hero Deep Bond (Jpn) and last month's G3 1351 Turf Sprint heroine Songline (Jpn) as black-type winners outside of Japan for their young sire. Kizuna also has the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup victor Akai Ito (Jpn) as his first, and so far only, Group 1 winner.

The second foal, first runner and only winner for his unplaced dam, Bathrat Leon (Jpn) is followed by a juvenile filly named Letter My Heart (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}). Bathrat Amal (Jpn), bred by Darley Japan, finished ninth in a brace of 10-furlong races at Windsor and Doncaster in 2014 for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby. Covered by the late Shamardal in 2015, that foal died, and she was then sold on for just 8,000gns at the 2016 Tattersalls July Sale carrying to Poet's Voice (GB). Bathrat Amal eventually made her way back to the land of her birth, and her latest offspring is a colt by Duramente (Jpn) foaled this year.

The second dam, Zameyla (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), did produce GI Nearctic S. and G1 Cheveley Park S. victress Serious Attitude (Ire) to the cover of Mtoto (GB), who in turn has foaled Japanese multiple group winner Stiffelio (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}). He was runner-up in the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) in 2020.

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
GODOLPHIN MILE SPONSORED BY NAKHEEL-G2, $1,000,000, Meydan, 3-26, 3yo/up, 8f, 1:36.03, fs.
1–BATHRAT LEON (JPN), 126, c, 4, by Kizuna (Jpn)
1st Dam: Bathrat Amal (Jpn), by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Zameyla (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire)
3rd Dam: Angelic Sounds (Ire), by The Noble Player
O-Hiroo Race Co Ltd; B-Mishima Bokujo (JPN); T-Yoshito
Yahagi; J-Ryusei Sakai. $580,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Jpn,
14-4-0-2, $1,488,602. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Desert Wisdom (GB), 126, g, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Tulips (Ire), by
Pivotal (GB). (70,000UAE HRA '21 DUBSEP). O-Hassan Saleh Al
Hammadi; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Ahmed Al Shemaili. $200,000.
3–Storm Damage (GB), 126, g, 4, Night of Thunder (Ire)–
Sundrop (Jpn), by Sunday Silence. 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE.
O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Saeed bin Suroor. $100,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3 1/4, 4.
Also Ran: Soliste Thunder (Jpn), Mubakker, Bankit, Great Scot (GB), Algiers (Ire), Dubai Icon (GB), Snapper Sinclair, Secret Ambition (GB), Tuz, Golden Goal (Ire), Full Flat, Pogo (Ire), Al Nefud (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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