Former
champion racehorse and now leading young sire Frankel posted his first Classic
success in Japan at the weekend with his top class filly Soul Stirring winning
the Group I Yushun Himba Japanese Oaks in Tokyo.
Soul Stirring became the first Group I winner for Frankel when she won the Hanshin
Juvenile Fillies Stakes last year and was Champion Japanese 2YO Filly of 216.
A homebred for Shadai Farm trained by Kazuo Fujisawa, Soul Stirring drew clear
to win the 2400 metre staying test by a length and three-quarters.
"It's such a thrill for me as I also won the Oaks back home with her mother.
Soul Stirring certainly has inherited the power from her sire and her dam. I was quite confident coming into
this race," said winning rider Christian Lemaire.
"I wasn't sure yet about the distance as it was her first time [at 2,400m]
so I wanted her in a good position which I did because she is quick out of the
gate. She also has good lasting speed so I was able to give her the go from
early at the stretch and sustain our bid right up to the finish."
Soul Stirring is from former star Monsun mare Stacelita, a six-time Group I
winner in France and the US.
Frankel is the sire of eight stakes-winners from his first Northern Hemisphere
crop with his only Australian bred winner to date being Flora de Mariposa, who
also won in Japan. Read about her here.