breednet.com.au

Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday December 7

The Japanese love to showcase their best horses around the world and Longines International Raceday at Sha Tin has proved rich pickings.

The international exposure has no doubt proved useful when some of the most exciting winners retired to stud.

The Japanese flyer Lord Kanaloa (JPN) made the world sit up and take notice with facile victories in the Hong Kong Sprint in 2012 and 2013.

From his first crop, the son of King Kamehameha has sired the imperious filly Almond Eye and the Mile Championship hero Stelvio.

Further back in history the 2001 Hong Kong Vase winner Stay Gold (JPN) has proven to be an exceptional sire with his long list of Group 1 winners headed by the great Orfevre (JPN) and the enigmatic Gold Ship (JPN).

Advertisement

Stay Gold has Crocosmia (JPN) to represent him in Sunday’s Hong Kong Vase.

A contemporary of Orfevre (JPN) and Gold Ship (JPN) was Rulership (JPN) who didn’t make it to International raceday but his only Group 1 victory came in Hong Kong's QEII Cup in 2012.

The Leading First Season Sire in 2016, Rulership (JPN) is the sire of Kiseki (JPN) who disappointed behind Highland Reel in last years Hong Kong Vase but has bee a model of consistency this season, most recently finishing the most courageous of seconds behind Almond Eye in the Japan Cup.


When listing the most successful Japanese horses in Hong Kong how do you leave out the Arrowfield shuttler Maurice (JPN) (photo Mark Smith) who earned worldwide acclaim with wins in the 2015 Hong Kong Mile, 2016 Champions Mile, and 2016 Hong Kong Cup?

Japan is expected to dominate Sunday’s Hong Kong Cup with Sungrazer (JPN) (Deep Impact) and Deirdre (JPN) (Harbinger).

Australia’s lone representative at the meeting, Comin' Through (Fastnet Rock), will face off against two Japanese aces in the Hong Kong Mile.

They are the 2017 Group 1 Mile Championship winner Persian Knight (JPN) (Harbinger), who is coming off a close second in the same race, and our ‘Best On Breeding’ Vivlos (JPN).

Kazuhiro Sasaki’s daughter of Deep Impact would be a standout in any broodmare sale around the world.


The 5yo mare has covered plenty of miles in her 15 starts.

Back in October 2016, Vivlos (JPN) claimed the final leg of the three-year-old fillies’ Triple Crown, the Group 1 Shuka Sho (2000m) at Kyoto.

Two starts later she claimed the Group 1 Dubai Turf at Meydan at the expense of Heshem and Ribchester but she hasn’t visited the winner's circle since.

She went back to Dubai in March to defend her title but had to play second fiddle to Benbatl but we know the class of that son of Dubawi who made Winx work for her fourth Cox Plate.

At her most recent start Vivlos (JPN) (photo JRA )  finished eighth in the Group 1 Tenno Sho won by Rey De Oro from Sungrazer and Kiseki.

Vivlos (JPN) is a sister to Verxina (JPN), twice winner of the Group 1 Victoria Mile who had the honour of being runner-up to the champion Gentildonna (JPN) in all three legs of Fillies Triple Crown. 

Vivlos (JPN) is also a half-sister to Cheval Grand (Heart’s Cry) who was ridden by Hugh Bowman to success in the 2017 Group 1 Japan Cup.

Their dam, the five-time winner Halwa Sweet is by that grand broodmare sire Machiavellian.

She is a great-granddaughter of the magnificent racemare Glorious Song (Halo) who is the dam of top-class stallions Rahy (Blushing Groom) and Singspiel (In the Wings).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Unbeaten So You Think 3YO Wins Raconteur Stakes
The So You Think's are absolutely flying with no less than 33 winners in the past 30 days highlighted by his daughter You Wahng’s emphatic victory in the G1 Queensland Oaks and now another exciting three year old has appeared!
Sunshine Coast Success For Sister to Group 1 Winner
Racing at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday saw the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained For Better (Better Than Ready), a full sister to the stable’s Group 1 winner Port Lockroy break her maiden at just her third start for the stable.
Hong Kong Double for Brutal
With Hong Kong races on Saturday this week and so much going on in Brisbane it was easy to miss the action at Sha Tin with a winning double for young sire Brutal worth noting as it featured a two year-old that has now had two starts for two wins and broke 56 seconds for 1000m!
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 14
Here is the full list of 104 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G1 Tiara Next for Flying Zoustar Mare Floozie
Bred and raced initially by Dorrington Farm’s Robert Crabtree, Zoustar mare Floozie changed hands last year and runs now for Yarraman Park, who sent her to Queensland to be trained by Tony Gollan and that decision is reaping impressive rewards.
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 15
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
War Machine Wins $3million G1 Stradbroke for Lindsay Park
With Lindsay Park's much loved stable star Mr Brightside set to turn eight this year, the time is ripe for a new star to emerge for the stable and it looks like being another Kiwi bred in the shape of Harry Angel (IRE) gelding War Machine.    
Consecutive Winter Cup Wins For Sir Lucan (IRE)
Although it’s been a while between wins for Camelot stayer Sir Lucan (IRE), the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained 7yo returned to the scene of his most recent success some 12 months prior to the day, recording consecutive victories in the $200,000 Listed ATC Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill.
Riverbank Going to Extremes
There’s an old saying about keeping yourself in the best of company and Victoria’s Riverbank Farm adheres to it better than most.
2023 Queensland Derby Hero Kovalica Triumphs in Q22 Thriller
Kovalica made a welcome return to winning form when he prevailed in a pulsating three-horse finish to the A$1.2 million Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.