The JRHA Select Sale continued on Tuesday with the prized foal session and while the sale-topper always looked an obvious one with the Equinox colt from Champion US Mare Midnight Bisou widely tipped to star, our Aussie bred mares still made their presence felt.
A flashy looking dark brown well stamped by his sire, the colt from Midnight Bisou was offered by Northern Farm and sold as expected for 580million yen (A$5.9million) to Nebraska Racing.
Midnight Bisou was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for US$5.5million at the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and this colt is her fourth foal.
The first crop of foals by 2022 and 2023 Japanese Horse of the Year Equinox have been a massive highlight for the sale and have delivered virtually all the top lots.
Northern Farm were well rewarded for the first foal from Golden Slipper winner and Champion 2YO Fireburn. The colt by reigning Champion Japanese Sire Kizuna sold to Tetsuhide Kunimoto for 320million yen (A$3.3million)
Another Aussie G1 winning mare to star was Group I ATC Flight Stakes winner Funstar, who had a colt by Suave Richard sell for 120million yen (A$1.2million).
Offered by Northern Farm, the colt was purchased by Makoto Hayano and is the second foal of his dam, whose older half-sister Youngstar is also at stud in Japan and has already produced the Group III winner Eri King, who was also fifth in the Group Japanese Derby this year.