(14th Dec 15)

Fascinating "Japan Double" at Hong Kong

Two of four international races taken place at Hong Kong on Sunday December 13th, which attracted record crowd of 85,552 at Sha Tin Racecourse, were won by Japanese-bred and Japanese-trained horses
MAURICE(JPN), 4-y-o colt by Screen Hero, ridden by Ryan Moore, captured G1/Hong Kong Mile, the richest 1,600m turf race in the world, beating quality field, which included Able Friend, who is arguably regarded as the best miler in the history of Hong Kong racing, Esoterique, winner of three Graded One Stakes in Europe including G1/Prix Jacques Le Marois, Mondialiste, second finisher of G1/Breeders Cup Mile, and Beauty Flame, winner of G2/Jockey Club Mile, prep race for locally-trained horses. Maurice has won six races from the same number of starts this year, including three Graded Stakes with premier grade, G1/Yasuda Kinen, G1/Mile Championship, and G1/Hong Kong Mile.
G1/Hong Kong Cup, the richest 2,000m turf race in the world, was won by EISHIN HIKARI(JPN), 4-y-o colt by Deep Impact. Eishin Hikari, who started from 11th gate of 13 runners, hit the front when the field went into the first bend, helped by tactical riding by Yutaka Take aboard. None of Designs on Rome, winner of this race 12 months ago, Free Eagle, winner of G1/Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot, Blazing Speed, winner of G1/Queen Elizabeth 2 Cup at Sha Tin earlier this year, and Criterion, winner of four Graded One stakes in Australia including G1/Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the feature race of The Championships in Sydney, could catch Eishin Hikari, who made all stopping the clock at 2 minutes 0.6 seconds, which is new stakes record. This is the fourth Graded Stakes and the first G1 win for Eishin Hikari. And Nuovo Record(JPN), 4-y-o filly by Heart's Cry, finished second and fantastic "Japanese Quinella" was achieved.

(4th Dec 15)

Three JRHA graduates in Hong Kong International Races

Japan will be represented by the biggest ever delegation, formed by 10 Japanese-trained horses, including three JRHA graduates, at the Hong Kong International Races on December 13th at Sha Tin.
The field of Hong Kong Sprint, which was won by Lord Kanaloa(JPN) in 2012 and 2013, include Mikki Isle(JPN), four-year-old colt by Deep Impact. Mikki Isle, who won G1/NHK Mile Cup when he was three-year-old, has been one of top contenders at the sprint division this year, finishing third in G1/Takamatsunomiya Kinen in March and fourth in G1/Sprinters Stakes in October. Mikki Isle, who was bought by Mizuki Noda at the yearling session of JRHA Sale in 2012 for 76,000,000yen,
US$938,272 at the exchange rate of sales day, has earned 301,012,000yen, approximately$2,422,047 at current exchange rate.
Fiero(JPN), six-year-old horse by Deep Impact, will be representing Japan in G1/Hong Kong Mile. The consistent miler has finished second in G1/Mile Championship in 2014 and 2015, and finished fourth in G1/Yasuda Kinen in 2015. Fiero, who was for 40,000,000yen, US$421,052, at the foal session of JRHA Sale in 2009, has earned 248,396,500yen, approximately US$1,998,684 for his owner Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co Ltd.
The feature race at the Hong Kong International Race is G1/Hong Kong Cup, and one of three Japanese-trained horse in the field is Satono Aladdin(JPN), four-year-old colt by Deep Impact. After being placed in some Graded Stakes of middle distance at 2 and at 3, Satono Aladdin switched into the mile division recently, finished second in G3/Fuji Stakes and fourth in G1/Mile Championship.
Satono Aladdin, who was bought at the foal session of JRHA Sale in 2011 by Hajime Satomi for 130,000,000yen, has earned 161,196,000yen to date.

(21st Jan 15)

JRHA graduate ranked best in the world

Longines World's Best Racecourse Rankings 2014 was announced on January 20th and it is confirmed Just a Way(JPN) by Heart's Cry is the finest thoroughbred in the world in 2014.
Just a Way's stunning performance in Dubai at Meydan, winning the G1/Dubai Duty Free by six and a quarter of length, is recognized by official handicappers as the best performance of the year and received the rating 130. This is the first time for Japanese-bred thoroughbred to receive the highest rating at the annual ranking, and Just a Way is the second highest rated Japanese horse in the history after El Condor Pasa, who received 134 in 1999.
Just a Way, bred by Shiraoi Farm, was offered at the yearling session of JRHA Select Sale in 2010 and bought by Akatsuki Yamatoya for 12,000,000yen, approximately US$133,333 at the exchange rate of the sales day.
The second highest rated horse in the world in 2014 is another Japanese-bred, Epiphaneia(JPN) by Symboli Kris S, who received the rating 129 after his astonishing performance in G1/Japan Cup.
And it means Epiphaneia is the best horse at the category of Long Distance, from 2,101m to 2,700m, in the world in 2014
Gold Ship(JPN) by Stay Gold, who received 120 when he won G2/Hanshin Daishoten, is recognized as the world highest-rated stayer, along with Protectionist, the winner of G1/Melbourne Cup.
Please do not miss the 2015 JRHA Select Sale on July 13th and 14th at Northern Horse Park, which will offer the first crop by Orfevre(JPN), who received 129 and rated third in the ranking in 2013, and the first crop by Lord Kanaloa(JPN), who received 128 and rated fifth in the ranking in 2013.