(24th Oct 11)

ORFEVRE(JPN) swept Japanese Triple Crown

Orfevre, three-year-old colt by Stay Gold, won G1/Kikuka Sho, Japanese St.Leger at Kyoto Racecourse on October 23rd, by two and half lengths, to become the seventh Triple Crown winner in Japan.
The chestnut colt, bred by Shiraoi Farm, was syndicated through Sunday Racing Club when he was a yearling for the total value of 60,000,000yen, and sent to Yasutoshi Ikee's barn at Ritto Training Center.
The full brother to Dream Journey, winner of three Graded One Stakes, made successful racecourse debut at Niigata on August 14th 2010, winning the maiden by one and half lengths. However, the colt out of Oriental Art by Mejiro McQueen failed to pick up his second win through four starts.
Orfevre won the G2/Spring Stakes in March 2011 at Hanshin, which was his first Graded Stakes,
and he has been faultless since then. Orfevre won G1/Satsuki Sho, Japanese 2000 Guineas, at Tokyo on April 24th by three lengths, G1/Tokyo Yushun, Japanese Derby, at Tokyo on May 29th by one and three quarter lengths, and G2/Kobe Shinbun Hai at Hanshin on September 25th by two and half lengths.
Yasutoshi Ikee is son of Yasuo Ikee, who trained Deep Impact, who completed the Triple Crown in 2005. They are the first father and son pair in Japan which both trained the Triple Crown Winner.
Stay Gold, sire of Orfevre, and Mejiro McQueen, broodmare sire of Orfevre, were both trained by Yasuo Ikee. Hence, the 68,289 audiences at Kyoto Racecourse sent huge congratulations to Yasuo Ikee, who joined the happy connection of Orfevre at the winner's circle.
Orfevre may run one more race by the end of season, in G1/Japan Cup at November 27th at Tokyo or G1/Arima Kinen at Nakayama on December 25th, depending upon how he comes out of race. And Yasutoshi Ikee disclosed his ambition to make a trip to Longchamp with Orfevre next autumn.

(8th Jun 11)

GRAND PRIX BOSS(JPN) on course for St James' Palace Stakes

New from Clive Brittain Stable in Newmarket, where Grand Prix Boss(JPN) has been trained since May 27th, is all positive so far, and the last year's Japanese Champion Two-Year-Old Colt is on course for G1/St James' Palace Stakes on June 14th, the opening day of Royal Ascot.
"The travel to UK was uneventful. Grand Prix Boss is enjoying Newmarket and I am very happy to see he is happy", Yoshida Yahagi, who trains Grand Prix Boss, said of the winner of G1/NHK Mile Cup, equivalent of 2000 Guineas in Japan on May 8th at Tokyo. "I believe he will be able to handle the track at Ascot and look forward my horse to meet with "Monster of Gallop" there."
Grand Prix Boss, by Sakura Bakushin O, was bred by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm and bought by Grand Prix Inc at the foal session of JRHA July Sale in 2008 for 27,000,000yen.
It is expected 2011 renewal of St James' Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot will have Frakel, devastating 2000 Guineas winner at Newmarket, Dubawi Gold, second in English and Irish Guineas, and Excelebration, winner of German Guineas. It is the race to select the best Three-Year-Old male miler on turf in Northern Hemisphere.
Mirco Demuro is booked for Grand Prix Boss.

(12th Apr 11)

DEEP IMPACT sent Classic winner

Deep Impact(JPN), who is widely recognized as the best racecourse ever bred in Japan and the most exciting young stallion standing in Japan as well, sent his first G1 winner on April 10th.
The Oka Sho, Japanese 1000 Guineas, over 1,600m on grass at Hanshin Racecourse near Osaka, was won by Marcellina, 3-y-o filly by Deep Impact.
Marcellina is bred by Teruya Yoshida of Shadai Farm and owned by Shadai Race Horse, the racing syndication run by Yoshida. Marbye, dam of Marcellina, is the winner of three Graded Stakes including G1/Prix d'Astarte in 2004, where she was ridden by Mirco Demuro and carrying the silk of Teruya Yoshida.
Marcellina is one of the first crop by Deep Impact, two-times Horse of the Year and leading 2-y-o sire in Japan in 2010. While Marcellina will try to achieve the Classic double in G1/Yushun Himba, Japanese Oaks, at Tokyo on May 22nd, Deep Impact will be represented by several nice colts in G1/Satsuki Sho, Japanese 2000 Guineas, at Tokyo on April 24th. It looks more and more major race winners by Deep Impact will emerge.
The catalogue of JRHA's Select July Sale on July 11th and 12th will contain many colts and fillies by Deep Impact, who is now recognized as the proven stallion.

(28th Mar 11)

Fascinating One-Two finish in Dubai

The Dubai World Cup, the world richest race taken place at Meydan Racecourse on March 26th,was won by Japanese-bred and Japanese-trained Victoire Pisa, and Transcend, another Japanese-bred and Japanese-trained horse, finished second. The thrilling 1-2 fimnish lifts the spirits of Japanese people, who are having very tough time after the big earthquake and devastating tsumani on March 11th.
Victoire Pisa by Neo Universe, Champion 3-y-o colt in Japan in 2010, is bred by Teruya Yoshida of Shadai Farm and sold privately to Yoshimi Ichikawa, Osaka-based businessman. Trained by Katsuhiko Sumii at Ritto, Victoire Pisa has won 8 races, including 3 G1s, from 13 starts, and earned 595,954,000yen plus 6 million dollars. It is fourth Graded One win in foreign countries for Katsuhiko Sumii, afterG1/American Oaks won by Cesario, Melboune Cup won by Delta Blues, and Hong Kong Mile won by Hat Trick.
Transcend, 5-y-o Horse by Wild Rush, is bred by Koji Maeda's North Hills, and has been running carrying the silk of Yoko Maeda, wife of the breeder. Trained by Takayuki Yasuda at Ritto, Transcend has won has won 8 races, including 2 Graded One Stakes, from 16 starts, and earned more than 400 million Yen purse plus 2 million dollars.
Please do not miss the JRHA July Sale on July 11th and 12th, which is the unique opportunity for you to acquire the Japanese-bred young horses with the highest standard. The sale will offer top class yearlings and foals, which should include the offspring by Neo Universe, sire of Victoire Pisa, and by Wild Rush, sire of Transcend.

(18th Mar 11)

Strongest Japanese team stands by for Dubai World Cup night

The delegation representing Japan at Dubai World Cup meeting on March 26th at Meydan Racecourse is the strongest ever.
Buena Vista, Victoire Pisa, and Transcend, will carry the flag of Japan in Dubai World Cup, the richest race in the world.
Buena Vista, Japanese Horse of the Year in 2010 and Champion filly at 2, 3, and 4, will try to get a better placing in Dubai than the last year, when she finished second to Dar Re Mi in G1/Dubai Sheema Classic. The 5-y-o mare by Special Week, bred by Northern Farm and owned by Sunday Racing, has won 8 races, including 5 Graded One Stakes, from 17th starts and earned more than 1 million Yen purse. Hiroyoshi Matsuda, who trains Buena Vista, trained Admire Moon, who won G1/Dubai Duty Free in 2007.
Victoire Pisa, Japanese Champion 3-y-o colt in 2010, had a very good prep race for Dubai on February 27th at Nakayama, where he won G2/Nakayama Kinen easily by two and half lengths. The 4-y-o colt by Neo Universe, bred by Shadai Farm and owned by Yoshimi Ichikawa, has won 7 races including 2 Graded One Stakes, from 12 starts, and earned nearly 600 million Yen purse. Katsuhiko Sumii, who trains Victoire Pisa and has won major races in Japan, United States, Australia, and Hong Kong, will try to enjoy his first success at Dubai.
Transcend, winner of G1/Japan Cup Dirt and G1/February Stakes, is widely recognized as the best horse on dirt in Japan at the moment. The 5-y-o Horse by Wild Rush, who is the home bred by Koji Maeda's North Hills Management, has won 8 races, including three Graded Stakes, from 15 starts, and earned more than 400 million Yen purse.
All of three runners in Dubai World Cup has never run the race on synthetic surface, but it is reported they are handing Tapeta well since they got at Meydan.
Koji Maeda's North Hills will be represented by Laser Bullet, 3-y-o colt by Brian's Time, in G2/UAE Derby as well. Laser Bullet, who is going to carry the silk of Yoko Maeda, wife of Koji Maeda, has won two races on dirt easily and decisively.
Rulership, solo Japanese challenger in G1/Dubai Sheema Classic, is very talented rising star. The 4-y-o colt, bred by Northern Farm and owned by Sunday Racing, has beautiful pedigree, as he is by King Kamehameha, the all Japan leading sire in 2010, and is out of Air Groove, Japanese Horse of the Year in 1997. Rulership won his first Graded Stakes in December 2010, when he won G3/Naruo Kinen at Hanshin, and won G2/Nikkei Shinshun Hai on January 16th at Kyoto, which is his last time out.
Five Japanese horses will run on March 26th for their home nation, where many people are having very tough time, after the country was hit by devastation earthquake and tsumani earlier this month.