We got a timely reminder ahead of Magic Millions as to the merits of Arrowfield shuttler Maurice(Jpn) in Japan on Sunday when his two year-old colt Admire Zoom won the Group I Asai Hai Futurity Stakes (1600m) at Kyoto.
Trained by Yasuo Tomomichi, Admire Zoom scored a two length win and has won two of three starts.
Admire Zoom is the best of three winners from Daiwa Zoom, a stakes-winning Heart’s Cry mare from an international US Black Type family that has an offshoot here through imported Group III winner Jennifer Lynnette (USA), the dam of Snitzel stakes-winner Royal Tribute.
Admire Zoom is the sixth Group I winner and 30th stakes-winner for Maurice, who has made a good impression in Australia, although has gone quiet through no fault of his own.
Maurice had three consecutive modest crops in Australia – 87, 69 and then 54 foals – with Group I winners Hitotsu and Mazu coming from the first – before a year off.
He returned in 2021 to an increased fee of $44,000 and has his biggest crop of 120 two year-olds to run for him in Australia this season, so it’s not hard to see Maurice in a very different place at this time next year and that being the case his yearlings may well be value at the Gold Coast in 2025.
There are 24 Maurice yearlings conceived at a fee of $82,500 for Magic Millions and 10 of them are from Arrowfield, click to see them all.
