Written by Bren O'Brien
With Maurice (Jpn) about to make his much-anticipated return to Arrowfield Stud after a year off shuttling duties, his first Australian progeny continue to make an impression, with progressive gelding Sharp Response becoming his first dual Australian winner at Sandown on Wednesday.
Sharp Response, who is trained by Cranbourne-based Julius Sandhu, was a winner at Sale last month before running second to smart filly Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) in a Saturday 2-year-old race at Caulfield last time out.
Back to midweek grade and up to 1300 metres for the first time, he showed his superiority against his opposition, coming from just off the pace to kick clear and defeat the fast-finishing Star Spirit (Star Witness) by a 1l, with Murrami Express (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) in third.
"He’s a tough boy this one. He fights and gives you plenty when you go after him. He is obviously looking for a trip, so I was happy to get him to the 1300, up the hill. He got to the front a bit early, but he fought on, so it was a nice win," Sandhu said afterwards.
"He’s (Sharp Response) a tough boy this one. He fights and gives you plenty when you go after him. He is obviously looking for a trip." - Julius Sandhu
“He is sound, so we might have one more start, but if not, we will put him out.”
Sandhu, who purchased Sharp Response for $70,000 out of the Flinders Park Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, has previously indicated the G1 Australian Guineas next March might be the type of race the gelding could measure up in the long term.
Julius Sandhu
Bred by Bridsan Bloodstock, Sharp Response is the second foal and first winner from Marli Magic (Host {Chi}), who was a city winner for train John Sadler. She hails from an extended family that includes Champion Singapore 3-year-old Recast (Thunder Gulch {USA}) and Listed winner and stakes-producing sire Gonski.
Sharp Response is one of eight winners from Maurice's first Australian crop, which has featured 31 runners this season. His last three Australian runners have all been winners, with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Daichi winning last Thursday at Gosford and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-prepared Silent Impact successful at Goulburn earlier this month.
Sharp Response as a yearling
He has also had six stakes-placed runners from that first Australian crop of 83, which came from a book of 121, conceived off a fee of $33,000 (inc GST).
Maurice stayed at that price for his second Australian book of 88 mares, while he stood for $27,500 (inc GST) when he served 69 mares in 2019.
He remained at his Japanese base at Shadai Stallion Station in 2020 due to travel complications brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic but is set to return to Australia and Arrowfield Stud in the next few weeks.
He will do so at a fee of $44,000 (inc GST), an increase brought on not just by the success his progeny have had in the ring and on the track in Australia, but also by what he has been able to do in his home country.
Maurice (Jpn) | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
Maurice was second in the first-year stallions in Japan in 2020 ranked on both winners and prizemoney to Duramente (Jpn), while he comfortably leads the second-season sires' race in both categories this year, with 50 individual winners.
The multiple Group 1-winning son of Screen Hero (Jpn) has had three Japanese stakes winners so far this year in Shigeru Pink Ruby (Jpn), Pixie Knight (Jpn) and Rooks Nest (Jpn), while his stallion fee at Shadai Stallion Station doubled to ¥8,000,000 (AU$99,680) in 2021.
Maurice wasn't the only Japanese stallion to have success at Sandown on Wednesday with Just A Way (Jpn) also tasting victory through his imported daughter Just As Soon (Jpn), who took her Australian record to four wins from 13 starts for Anthony and Sam Freedman.
Ridden by Damien Thornton, Just As Soon made it back-to-back victories over the Sandown 2400 metres with her 1.5l win in the 2400 metre BM70 H.
She is the only Australian runner for Just A Way, who stands at Breeders Stallion Station in Hokkaido. As a racehorse, Just A Way, a son of Heart's Cry (Jpn) won the G1 Tenno Sho (autumn), the G1 Yasuda Kinen and the G1 Dubai Duty Free.
