(13th Dec 21)

Another successful stage for JRHA at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races

Still in the face of Covid-19 pandemic, 12 Japanese horses were shuttled across and contested in this year’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on December 12th. Three of them are the graduates for Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale-Loves Only You (JPN), Hishi Iguazu (JPN) and Glory Vase (JPN), and showed their highest level on the global stage.
A 6-year-old Glory Vase, a 2016 JRHA Yearling Session graduate, claimed the LOGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m), which was his repeat success of 2019. Unleashed his power from second last of the field turning for home under Joao Moreira, the son of Deep Impact delivered the outstanding acceleration with 200meters to go and finished by a length.
About two and half hours later, Japan did it again- finishing 1-2 in the feature race, LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, the last of the International Races. A 2017 JRHA Yearling Session graduate Loves Only You capped off her racing career with the sensational victory in the 2000 meters event, before taking up her broodmare duties of 2022. The globetrotting mare marked three overseas victories this term-the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on the FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin in April and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar before the race and held off the late charge by another Japanese contender Hishi Iguazu who was also a graduate from the 2016 JRHA Select Foal Session.

Followings are the results of the other Japanese runners.
LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m, turf)
Lei Papale (6th)-Trainer Tomokazu Takano and Jockey Christophe Soumillon

Longines Hong Kong Mile (1600m, turf)
Salios (3rd)-Trainer Noriyuki Hori and Jockey Damian Lane
Indy Champ (5th)-Trainer Hideyuki Otonashi and jockey Chtistophe Soumillon
Vin de Garde (6th)-Trainer Hideaki Fujiwara and jockey Karis Teetan
Danon Kingley (8th)-Trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara and jockey Yuga Kawada

LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m, turf)
Stay Foolish(5th)-Trainer Yoshito Yahagi and jockey Vincent Ho Chak-yiu

LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m turf)
Resistencia (2nd)-Trainer Takeshi Matsushita and jockey Christophe Soumillon
Danon Smash (8th)-Trainer Takayuki Yasuda and jockey Yuga Kawada
Pixie Knight (DNF)-Trainer Hidetaka Otonashi and jockey Yuichi Fukunaga

(7th Dec 21)

Team Japan ready for the Hong Kong International Races

12 Japanese contenders have been arrived in Hong Kong for the upcoming Hong Kong International Races on December 12th, Sunday. This is the second largest number in history behind the 13 shuttled across in 2016.
Among the contingent, three of them are the graduates of Japan Race Horse Association Select Sale.

LOVES ONLY YOU (JPN), who became the first Japanese trained horse to win the Breeders' Cup Championship last month in the BC Filly and Mare Turf, will run in the Hong Kong Cup (2000m). The 2017 Yearling session graduate will be retired after the race and start her breeding season at Northern Farm in 2022.

GLORY VASE (JPN), a 2016 Yearling session purchase, is return to win the Hong Kong Vase (2400m) after he claimed the race by three lengths in 2019. He has not tasted any success in three runs this term but ran well 2nd to Loves Only You in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on the Champions Day in April and finished 0.3 seconds 3rd on his return in the 2200m-G2 All Comers in September last out. Jockey Joao Moreira will be paired again.

HISHI IGUAZU (JPN), trained by Noriyuki Hori, makes his first overseas challenge in the Hong Kong Cup (2000m). Bought at 2016 Foal session, the 5-year-old son of Heart's Cry won four races in a row at the G2 Nakayama Kinen (1800m, turf) in February and finished 5th in the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m, turf) in October latest. Joao Moreira has been booked to ride.


Other Japanese runners will be-

Stay Foolish (JPN), a 6-year-old horse by Stay Gold from trainer Yoshito Yahagi and the five-time silver medalist at the graded races came off a 4th place in the G3 Fukushima Kinen (2000m, turf) last month. Vincent Ho will ride.

Pixie Knight (JPN), a 3-year-old son of Maurice and a stable mate of Hidetaka Otonashi's Indi Champ, has finished inside top two in all three runs at 1200m and scored his first G1 title in the Sprinters Stakes in October. Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga will take reins.

A 6-year-old Danon Smash (JPN) is set to defend the Hong Kong Sprint title. His sire Lord Kanaloa took two crowns in the race (2012 and 2013). Danon Smash won this year's G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m). Coming off a 6th place in the G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m), he will make a final career start at Sha Tin before his stallion duties. Yuga Kawada will ride him.

Resistensia (JPN), a 2019 JRA champion 2-year-old filly, kicked off this term with 3rd place at G3 before the runner-up in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m). She finished 2nd in the latest G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m). Christophe Soumillon will be on board.

Indi Champ (JPN), a multiple G1 winner, has shown his consistency between 1200m and 1600m. The 6-year-old horse ran 4th on his return in the G1 Mile Championship last out. Yuichi Fukunaga will ride.

Danon Kingly (JPN), a 5-year-old horse for trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara, marked his first G1 triumph in the Yasuda Kinen (1600m) in June. His latest run was 2nd in the G2 Mainichi Okan (1800m) in October. Yuga Kawada will be on board.

The 2019 G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes winner Salios (JPN) makes his overseas debut. The 4-year-old horse finished 6th in the G1 Mile Championship (1600m) last out. Damian Lane has been booked to ride.

Vin de Garde (JPN) flew in from the U.S. with Loves Only You. The Hideaki Fujiwara trained horse ran well 2nd in the G1 Dubai Turf in March but finished disappointing 12th in the latest G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Karis Teetan will pair for the first time.

Lei Papale (JPN), who extended her winning streak to six in this year' s G1 Osaka Hai (2000m) in April, ran 3rd in the following G1 Takarazuka Kinen (2200m) in June. A 4-year-old daughter of Deep Impact ran 4th at G2 before finishing 6th in the 2200m-G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup last month. Yuga Kawada will ride.

(8th Nov 21)

Great Accomplishments for Japan at Breeders’ Cup Championship

Japan, finally, landed its first Breeders’ Cup Championship titles held at Del Mar/California on November 5th and 6th. Loves Only You (JPN), a 5-year-old mare by the late Deep Impact, demonstrated her brave closing speed and became the first Japan-based horse to win the championship in the G1/BC Filly and Mare Turf. And one more 5-year-old mare Marche Lorraine (JPN), a daughter of the champion Orfevre, followed the feat and won the G1/BC Distaff. The 2019 Japanese Oaks winner Loves Only You, who was bought at yearling session of 2017 JRHA Select Sale, was shipped to Dubai early this term when she ran 3rd in the G1/Dubai Sheema Classic, and grabbed her first International G1 triumph in the subsequent Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin in April. Japanese jockey Yuga Kawada who was riding Loves Only You in the Breeders’ Cup also captured his first major title at global event. Both Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine are trained by Yoshito Yahagi.
This year, Japan has sent the biggest delegation to the America’s largest horseracing festival. Hideaki Fujiwara trained Vin de Garde (JPN), a 5-year-old son of Deep Impact finished 12th in the G1/BC Mile. Hideyuki Mori sent 4 horses to Del Mar-Matera Sky (USA), a 7-year-old horse by Speightstown, finished 5th in the G1/BC Sprint. Pingxiang (USA), a 4-year-old son of Speightstown, and Jasper Prince (USA), a 6-year-old horse by Violence, finished 7th and 8th respectively in the G1/BC Dirt Mile. Jasper Great, a 2-year-old colt by Arrogate, finished 10th in the G1/BC Juvenile.

(29th Oct 21)

The biggest Japanese delegation at Breeders Cup

Japan is represented by seven runners at Breeders Cup World Championship at Del Mar on November 5th and 6th.
Loves Only You(JPN), bought at yearling session of JRHA Select Sale in 2017, is cross entered in G1/BC Filly & Mare Turf and G1/BC Turf. The five-year-old mare by Deep Impact(JPN), who has won G1/Yushun Himba in Japan and G1/Queen ElizabethⅡ Cup in Hong Kong, tries to collect third major title for her in the United States.
Marche Lorraine(JPN), stable mate with Loves Only You at the barn of Yoshito Yahagi, is entered in G1/BC Distaff. The five-year-old mare by Orfevre(JPN), who has won four Graded Stakes on dirt at NAR, is regarded as one of the best race mares on dirt in Japan.
Vin de Garde(JPN), who finished second to Lord North(IRE) in G1/Dubai Turf at Meydan in March, is entered in G1/BC Mile. The five-year-old horse by Deep Impact is trained by Hideaki Fujiwara.
Hideyuki Mori has shipped four horses to California. Matera Sky(USA), who finished second to Copano Kicking(USA) in Riyadh Dirt Sprint at King Abdulaziz in February, is entered in G1/BC Sprint, and Jasper Great(USA), who won maiden at Hanshin on October 9th by 10 lengths, is entered in G1/BC Juvenile. Jasper Prince(USA), winner of LR/Enif Stakes at Chukyo on September 11th, and Pingxiang(USA), winner of Tempozan Stakes at Hanshin on June26th, are cross entered in G1/BC Dirt Mile and G1/BC Sprint.
Japanese-trained horse has never won a race on the card of Breeders Cup.

(22nd Apr 21)

JRHA graduates are featured at HK Champions Day

JRHA is proud that three out of four Japanese representatives in Queen ElizabethⅡCup, feature race at Hong Kong Champions Day on April 25th at Sha Tin, are graduates of JRHA Select Sale,
Likely favorite in the Group 1 race, which carries total purse of HK$25 million, US$3.2 million, is Daring Tact(JPN), undefeated winner of Japanese Triple Tiara in 2020, who was bought at yearling session of Select Sale in 2018 for 12,000,000yen, US$108,109 at the exchange rate of sales day. The filly by Epiphaneia(JPN) has earned more than 500 million yen, US$4.58 million.
Glory Vase(JPN), winner of G1/Hong Kong Vase in 2019, tries to collect second G1 in Hong Kong. The Deep Impact entire was bought at yearling session of Select Sale in 2016 for 52,000,000yen, US$520,000, and has earned 451 million yen, US$4.14 million.
Loves Only You(JPN), winner of G1/Japanese Oaks and third finisher in G1/Dubai Sheema Classic last time out, was bought at yearling session of Select Sale in 2017 for 160,000,000yem US$1,403,509. The mare by Deep Impact has earned 365 million yen, US$3.35 million.
Please do not miss 2021 JRHA Select Sale on July 12th and 13th, to find international campaigners for you.