(20th Dec 10)

New Champion from JRHA

G1/Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, Championship race for two-year-old colts, on December 19th at Nakayama Racecourse was won by Grand Prix Boss(JPN), owned by Grand Prix Inc. and trained by Yoshito Yahagi at Ritto Training Center.
Grand Prix Boss, 2-y-o colt by Sakura Bakushin O, is bred by Katsumi Yoshida' Northern Farm and was offered at the foal session of 2008 JRHA July Select Sale, where the colt was bought by Grand Prix Inc. for 27,000,000yen.
Grand Prix Boss made successful racecourse debut at Sapporo on August 14th, when he won the maiden over 1,500m on grass by half a length. Although he was disappointing seventh in the G2/Daily Hai on October 16th, he picked up his first Graded Stakes on November 13th, when he won G2/Keio Hai over 1,400m on grass at Tokyo.
Grand Prix Boss, the 136 to 10 fifth favorite in the 16 runners' field of Asahi Hai, was settled in the middle of pack early in the race and delivered impressive challenge on homestretch to win by 3/4 lengths.
Grand Prix Boss will be trained for G1/NHK Mile Cup, over 1,600m on grass at Tokyo on May 8th, according to Yoshito Yahagi.

Grand Prix Boss

Sire: Sakura Bakushin O
Dam: Rosy Mist
Sire of Dam: Sunday Silence
H2
Consigned: Northern Farm

(5th Oct 10)

NAKAYAMA FESTA(JPN) second in the Arc

JRHA graduate Nakayama Festa, one of two Japanese representatives in Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, finished second to Workforce, the Epsom Derby winner, at Longchamp on October 3rd. It is no doubt one of the best performances displayed by Japanese runners in the Arc, which is recognized as the Europen Championship Race over 2,400m.
Nakayama Festa, by Stay Gold out of Dear Wink, is bred by Arai Bokujo at Mukawa and sold to Shinichi Izumi for 10,000,000yen at the yearling session of JRHA Select Sale in 2007.
Immediately after the success at G1/Takarazuka Kinen on June 27th at Hanshin, Yoshitaka Ninomiya, who trains the colt at Miho, declared to run him in France later the year. Nakayama Festa arrived at France on August 10th, and prepped in G2/Prix Foy, where he finished second, three week ago.
Despite the testing ground after heavy rain falls, Nakayama Festa ridden by Masayoshi Ebina ran bravely, to prove the top class performers in Japan can compete with top horses in Europe, although he failed to catch the winner only by a head at the wire.

Nakayama Festa

Sire: Stay Gold
Dam: Dear Wink
Sire of Dam: Tight Spot
H4
Consigned: Arai Bokujo

(29th Jun 10)

Another G1 winner from the yearling session of JRHA Sale

Nakayama Festa, 4-y-o colt by Stay Gold who was bought at the 2007 JRHA Select Sale, won G1/Takarazuka Kinen on June 27th at Hanshin, to become the second G1 winner emerged from the yearling session of JRHA Select Sale, after Danon Chantilly, who bought at the yearling session of JRHA Sale in 2008 and won G1/NHK Mile Cup only seven weeks ago.
Bred by Arai Bokujo at Mukawa, Nakayama Fest was bought by Shinichi Izumi for 10,000,000yen at the yearling session of JRHA Select Sale in 2007, and sent to Yoshitaka Ninomiya's barn at Miho Training Center.
The colt by Stay Gold was unbeaten through two starts at two, including the impressive win of G3/Tokyo Sports Hai 2-y-o Stakes. However, his hot temperament harmed his performance at three, when he managed to pick up only one win through six starts.
Nakayama Festa, out of Dear Wink by Tight Spots, has matured well mentally this year, and won LR/Metropolitan Stakes on April 24th at Tokyo, which was his seasonal debut, easily, in prior to competing in G1/Takarazuka Kinen.
It is reported Nakayama Festa, who took his first Stakes with the Premier Grade, beating strong field, which included Buena Vista, winner of four Graded One stakes and was runner-up to Dar Re Mi in G1/Sheema Classic in March, Dream Journey, who tried to complete the back-to-back victory of this race, Jaguar Mail, the winner of G1/Emperor's Cup in May, and Logi Universe, who won G1/Japan Derby in 2009, will travel to France to run G1/Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on October 4th at Longchamp.

Nakayama Festa

Sire: Stay Gold
Dam: Dear Wink
Sire of Dam: Tight Spot
H4
Consigned: Arai Bokujo

(10th May 10)

DANON CHANTILLY, another Derby prospect from JRHA

NHK Mile Cup, Graded One Stakes for three-year-olds on May 9th, was won by the 8to 5 favorite Danon Chantilly, the JRHA graduate. The 3-y-o colt by Fuji Kiseki, who established new track record at 1,600m turf course at Tokyo, 1 minute 31.4 seconds, is going to run G1/Tokyo Yushun, Japanese Derby, on May 30th next start.
Danon Chantilly, out of Chansonnette by Mark of Esteem, is bred by Darley Japan Farm, breeding operation under the umbrella of Sheikh Mohammed, Ruler in Dubai, in Japan and sold to Masahiro Noda of Danox Inc., at the yearling session of 2008 JRHA Select Sale for 27,500,000yen. His dam, Chansonnette, is half sister to Singspiel, MG1SW, and Rahy, great sire in U,S,A, and second dam of Danon Chantilly is Glorious Song, MG1SW in North America
Trained by Kunihide Matsuda at Ritto, Danon Chantilly made successful racecourse debut on November 22nd, when he won maiden over 1,800m on turf at Kyoto. While he experienced two consecutive losses, as he finished third to Victoire Pisa, subsequent Japanese 2000 Guineas winner, in G3/Radio Nikkei Hai at Hanshin on December 26th and was runner-up to Hansode Bando in G3/Kyodo Tsushin Hai at Tokyo on February 7th, Danon Chantilly took his first Graded Stakes, when he devastated the field of G3/Mainichi Hai at Hanshin on March 27th.
As A Shin Duck Man set very strong pace in the NHK Mile Cup, Danon Chantilly was settled at the tail end of 18 runners' field and delivered very strong challenge on 526m long homestretch, to win the G1 for 1.1/2 lengths. This is first G1 for the owner, Masahiro Noda, and for breeder, Darley Japan Farm.
Pelusa, unbeaten 3-y-o colt by Zenno Rob Roy, has already declared to run the Japanese Derby, representing the JRHA graduates, as he won G2/Aoba Sho a week ago. JRHA is going to send very strong team in the Blue Ribbon of the Turf on May 30th at Tokyo.

Danon Chantilly

Sire: Fuji Kiseki
Dam: Chansonnette
Sire of Dam: Mark of Esteem
H3
Consigned: Darley