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).

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...
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.