Ascot looks east for royal runners
With their showpiece royal meeting on the horizon, Ascot’s Nick Smith expressed his pleasure at the number and quality of Australian horses heading north in a bid to prize the two Group 1 sprints back Down Under.
Next on Smith’s list to entice? The best from Japan.
“One of the top priorities is to establish more of a regular pattern of Japanese horses coming to Britain,” said Smith, Ascot’s director of racing and public affairs. “We’re working in partnership with the Jockey Club and the large independent racecourses to see how we can raise the appeal of British racing to Japanese horses.”
Regulars on the Hong Kong and Middle East circuit in recent years, Japanese runners have travelled sparingly to Royal Ascot.
Ten horses from the Far East have journeyed to the royal meeting, with the highest finisher being Shahryar (Deep Impact), who beat just one runner home when fourth in last year’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f), won by State Of Rest (Starspangledbanner).
Another to have plundered Dubai riches when winning at Meydan, prior to racing at Royal Ascot, Shahryar was unable to translate his form to British soil.
There will be no runners from Japan at Royal Ascot this year, and Smith pointed to the rise of the carnivals in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, as one of the reasons for finding it difficult to attract runners.
“A key issue is the prize-money differentials in terms of what we can offer, compared to what they can earn at home. But I would say a bigger factor is the rise of two Middle Eastern powerhouses in Saudi Arabia and Dubai,” Smith said.
“They are lucrative targets which are almost certain to be run on their preferred fast ground and they are now very appealing options for the better Japanese horses at the beginning of the year.”
A jurisdiction that will have a first runner for the first time in seven years is Hong Kong. Runners from the region have fared better than their Japanese counterparts, winning twice from 13 starts at Royal Ascot.
The absence is broken by Richard Gibson’s four-time Group 1-winning sprinter Wellington (All Too Hard), who will contest the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f), where he will meet Australia’s Artorius (Flying Artie).
“It’s been a long time since a Hong Kong horse came and Wellington’s form is not far off [world’s highest-rated sprinter] Lucky Sweynesse, who is a true world champion sprinter,” said Smith.
“There wouldn’t be many horses that could give him a race and Wellington is a Group 1 winner, with Ryan Moore booked, while the track is built for him as a strong-staying six-furlong horse who gets seven.”
Japan
Mosheen with a machine?
In the space of two days in July last year, Australian four-time Group 1 winner Mosheen (Fastnet Rock) recouped more than AU$8.7 million in a Japanese sale ring, as her seventh and eighth foals sold at the JRHA Select Sale.
The eldest of those, a yearling at the time, could not have made a better start on the racetrack, as Danon Ayers Rock (Maurice) – a AU$5.2 million purchase for Danox Co. – powered to victory in an 1800-metre race for newcomers at Tokyo on Sunday, winning by a length and a quarter under Damian Lane.
Mosheen, who is also the dam of Grade 1 runner-up Primo Scene (Deep Impact), saw her weanling colt by Epiphaneia (Symboli Kris S) fetch AU$3.5 million at last year’s Select sale.
Lane banned from return
Damian Lane could find that he is prohibited from returning to Japan next year after the rider fell foul of the rules regarding exceeding the number of times permitted for whip breaches.
Lane has ridden 35 winners in Japan this year at a strike-rate of 27 per cent, however he will be ineligible for applying for a JRA visiting jockeys’ licence in 2024 after accruing 32 penalty points since April, exceeding the number of penalty points allowed for riding offences.
Malaysia
Improving Berry Bliss comes out on top
Sunday’s feature race at Sungei Besi was expected to go the way of one of the also rans in the recent Tunku Gold Cup (Listed, 1200m), however it was Berry Bliss (Charm Spirit), a winner on the May 28 undercard who came out on top in the Supreme A contest over 1100 metres.
After taking over from long-time leader and favourite Magic Captain (Furnaces) 100 metres out, the Charles Leck-trained four-year-old saw off the late challenge of White Hoof Bird (Denman) to score by a head.
Winning rider Clyde Leck, who has been on board of all of the gelding’s eight successes, said: “I’m very happy with his win. He has improved tremendously from the past few runs and showed his class today. I believe he will be a Cup winner in time to come.”
That opinion was echoed by the winning trainer who said: ““He keeps improving with every run. He proved himself today racing against some of the top-rated horses in Malaysia. He will win some nice races in the near future.”
Hong Kong
Seven for Burgundy
Late Cambridge Stud-based sire Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice) earned his seventh individual winner from 13 runners in Hong Kong courtesy of Master Of Luck’s (4 g ex Precious by Stravinsky) victory in a Class 5 handicap over 1400 metres at Sha Tin on Saturday. Trained by Francis Lui, the New Zealand-bred prevailed in a close finish to beat Travel Glory (Savabeel) by a short-head. Maximize Heart (Holy Roman Emperor) finished a further three-quarters of a length away in third. Purchased for NZ$42,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock South Island Sale in 2020, Master Of Luck is out of the winning Stravinsky (Nureyev) mare Precious, making him a half-brother to the Listed-placed Upscale (Tavistock). Further back, this is the same family as Group 3 winner Sabre Dancer (Twig Moss). Burgundy died in 2019.
Nine Charm Spirit
In winning a Class 4 handicap over 1200 metres at Sha Tin on Saturday, Lady’s Choice (3 g ex No Pushover by Pins) became the ninth individual Hong Kong winner from 23 starters for the former Windsor Park shuttler Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit). The three-year-old gelding stayed on bravely to beat Call Me Dandy (Dandy Man) by a head. Round The Globe (Hellbent) finished a further two lengths adrift in third. A NZ$25,000 purchase at the 2021 edition of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, Lady’s Choice is out of Listed winner No Pushover (Pins), who is also the dam of fellow winner Last Resort (Astern). Charm Spirit stood in New Zealand for six seasons, but did not return in 2021. The son of Invincible Spirit stood at Haras du Logis Saint Germain in France in 2023 for a fee of €5,000 (approx. AU$7,969).
18 for Lonhro
Darley’s recently retired stalwart Lonhro (Octagonal) was handed his 18th individual Hong Kong winner from 26 starters when Circuit Splendor (5 g ex Exceedingly Royal by Exceed And Excel) took out the Ng Fong Handicap (Class 5) (1200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday. The five-year-old kept on strongly in the final stages, eventually beating Happy Gathering (Hinchinbrook) by a length. Theta Hedge (Harbour Watch) finished another three-quarters of a length away in third. Circuit Splendor was bought by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for $200,000 from the Sun Stud draft at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, before being snapped up by Cheung Kwong Kwan for $2 million at the Hong Kong Jockey Club International Sale in 2021. The gelding is out of the unraced Exceed And Excel (Danehill), a half-sister to Listed winner Royal Babe (Rory’s Jester). Further down the page, this is the same pedigree as Group 3-winning pair Heart Testa (Testa Rossa) and Royal Tithe (Show A Heart). Lonhro was pensioned from stud duties earlier this year and his winners in Hong Kong are headed by Group 3 winner Jolly Banner.
38 for Per Incanto
Little Avondale Stud-based sire Per Incanto (Street Cry) chalked up his 38th winner from 51 starters when the Manfred Man-trained Golden Luck (3 g ex Creil by Frenchpark) won a Class 4 handicap over 1200 metres at Happy Valley on Wednesday. Ridden by Zac Purton, the three-year-old won going away, beating Sight Hero (Love Conquers All) by half a length. King Invincible (Darci Brahma) finished another neck away in third. Golden Luck was bought by Bevan Smith for NZ$115,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale in 2021. The gelding is out of Group 1-winning Frenchpark (Fools Holme) mare Creil, making him a three-quarter to brother to three-time New Zealand Listed winner Lightning Jack (Per Incanto). Per Incanto will stand the upcoming breeding season for an unchanged fee of NZ$50,000 (plus GST).