After topping the yearling session of the JRHA Select Yearling Sale with her $4.8million Maurice colt, Fastnet Rock’s outstanding daughter Mosheen again made her presence felt at the foal session on Tuesday.
Ver Co. Ltd went to ¥300,000,000 (A$3,208,000) for Mosheen’s colt (Lot 367) by the highly popular young stallion Epiphaneia. That was the equal third top price of the session.
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr purchased a three-quarter sister to this colt for ¥60,000,000 (A$648,000) at the yearling session. She is also by Japan Cup hero Epiphaneia (Symboli Kris S) out of Mosheen’s daughter Paronella (Lord Kanaloa), who was runner-up in four of her eight starts.
The honour for top lot went to Duramente (King Kamehameha x Admire Groove, by Sunday Silence), who had another superb sale.
It further emphasised what a tragedy it was to lose the 2020 Champion first-season sire last year at the age of nine due to acute colitis
Lot 393 C Duramente x Champagne Anyone by Street Sense Purchaser: Red Horse ¥320,000,000 (A$3,427,000).
Second foal of a US GrII winner who was fourth in the Kentucky Oaks and CCA Oaks.
Lot 325 C Bricks and Mortar x Awake by Deep Impact Purchaser: Tetsuhide Kunimoto ¥310,000,000 (A$3,316,000).
From the second crop of the 2019 US Horse Of The Year, this colt is the second foal of a GrII placed half-sister Champion 2yo Goshawk Ken (Bernstein). This mare's first foal by Epiphaneia sold for ¥250,000,000 (A$2,674,000) at the yearling session.
“I visited Northern Farm several times in the last few months,” Tetsuhide Kunimoto said.
“This colt, out of Awake, kept improving. That is what I like about him.
“I do not know who is the next leading sire, but I think Bricks and Mortar is a very suitable stallion for racing in Japan, as he is a turf champion himself and most of his yearlings look sharp and speedy turf horses.
“This colt lets me have a dream.”
Lot 339 Saturnalia x L'Archetto by Falbrav Purchaser: Kaneko Makoto Holdings ¥300,000,000 (A$3,208,000).
From the first crop of the Japanese 2000 Guineas winner, this colt is a half-brother to Gr1 Mile Championship winner Stelvio (Lord Kanaloa) and stakes-placegetters Hishi Gekko (Rulership) and Sternatia (Lord Kanaloa). Dam had a Rey de Oro colt sell for ¥220,000,000 (A2,353,000) at the yearling session.
Lot 353 F Epiphaneia x She’s a Tiger by Tale Of The Cat Purchaser: NICKS Co., Ltd. ¥280,000,000 (A$2,995,000)
Dam was the champion 2-year-old filly in USA, winning the Gr1 Debutante Stakes and was runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
“I studied her pedigree and am convinced she should have inherited a lot of speed”, Hiroyasu Takeuchi, racing manager to Nick Co.Ltd, said.
“She is very valuable as a future broodmare as well and I believe she is worth paying this amount of money. I thought we might have to pay 300 million yen to buy her and am happy with the price.”
Lot 310 C Duramente x Callback by Street Sense Purchaser: Victory Circle ¥260,000,000 (A$2,781,000)
Half-brother to stakes-placed Tommy Bee (Medaglia d’Oro) out of Gr1 Virgenis Stakes winner.
Lot 410 C Lord Kanaloa x Flawless Dancer by Harbinger Purchaser: Mizuki Noda ¥260,000,000 (A$2,781,000).
Half-brother to stakes-winner Banji O (Rulership) out of a daughter of the Champion racemare Dance In The Mood (Sunday Silence).
Lot 541 C Saturnalia x Mi Carino by Heart’s Cry Purchaser: Ver Co.,Ltd. ¥220,000,000 (A2,353,000)
The final lot of the sale is the second foal of a winning half-sister to GrIII winner My Suerte (Frankel).
Lot 419 C Fierement x Chambre d'Hote by Lope De vega Purchaser: Danox Co.,Ltd. ¥210,000,000 (A$2,247,000)
From the first crop of Deep Impact’s triple Group 1 winner, this colt is out of a half-sister to Gr1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliche winner Elusive Wave (Elusive City).
A total of 236 foals were offered at Tuesday’s session and 225 of them were sold for ¥12,892,500,000.
That is an 18.0% increase compared with 2021. The average price of ¥57,300,000yen, US$424,444, is 11.7% up, and the clearance rate increased from 92.6% in 2021 to 95.3% in 2022.
The gross, average, and clearance were all new records for the foal session.
Over the two days, 447 lots of the 469 offered were sold for ¥25,762,500,000, which is 14.2% increase from 2021.
The average price is ¥57,634,228, (US$426,920), is 12.2% up from 2021, and clearance rate improved 93.0% to 95.3% .
“It was rec¥ord breaking market here last year and I did not expect to beat it this year,” Teruya Yoshida said.
“Market was very strong from the top end through bottom end, and I am very impressed with the dept of buyers. High demand for young horses was kept through two days and clearance rate, 95.3%, is unbelievable.
“I am very happy to see so many people are interested in enjoying ownership of racehorses and very glad to witness they are very keen to make a big investment in bloodstock.
“Quality of mares we have in Japan is very high and quality of young horses offered here yesterday and today was very high as well. And Japanese-bred horses are running very well in international races in the USA and Mid East, and I understand it helps to boost this market.
“I believe Japanese runners will keep running well on the international stage and hope the market next year is as strong as this year.”