Cover image courtesy of the Japan Racing Horse Association
A yearling colt from four-time Australian Group 1 winner Mosheen (Fastnet Rock) sold for a staggering ¥450,000,000 (AU$4.8 million) - a record for a yearling out of an Australian-bred mare in Japan - on the opening day of the two-day JRHA Select Sale at Hokkaido’s Northern Horse Park.
Consigned by Northern Farm, the colt, who is by their resident stallion Maurice (Jpn), went through the ring as Lot 76. Maurice shuttles to Australia’s Arrowfield Stud and is the sire of triple Group 1 hero Hitotsu and G1 Doomben 10,000 winner Mazu.
Maurice (Jpn) | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
He was purchased by Masahiro Noda of Danox Co. Ltd, who races horses with the ‘Danon’ prefix, such as Danon Fantasy (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}).
The colt is a half-brother to triple Group 3 winner Primo Scene (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Danox has a liking for Australian-bred dams, having last year gone to ¥370,000,000 (AU$4 million) for a colt foal by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) from dual Group 1 victress Yankee Rose (All American). He also paid ¥165,000,000 (AU$1.8 million) for a yearling colt by Heart’s Cry (Jpn) out of 2017 G1 Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain).
Lot 76 - Maurice (Jpn) x Mosheen (colt) | Image courtesy of the Japan Racing Horse Association
Mosheen, who was bred in New South Wales by Bylong Park Thoroughbreds and raced by the late Phil Sly, raced 18 times, notching eight wins (four Group 1s and seven stakes wins in total), for earnings of $2,690,350. She was sold to Northern Farm in 2012.
Now 13, Mosheen has a colt foal by Epiphaneia (Jpn), which will go through the ring as Lot 367 on Tuesday. He too is consigned by Northern Farm.
Top Victorian stable strikes a blow
Later in the day, the Victorian training duo of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr paid ¥60,000,000 (AU$643,500) for Lot 134 – the granddaughter of Mosheen. The filly is by Epiphaneia out of Paronella (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), making her a half-sister to Primo Scene. She is from the Northern Farm consignment.
Kent Jnr told TDN AusNZ he didn’t have his heart set on any particular yearling before arriving in Japan, but he’s rapt with the filly he will be taking home.
“It wasn’t easy to get a visa, there’s no tourist visas being handed out. We were lucky enough to be invited by Northern Farm. I’m very, very fortunate and I’m one of a few foreigners that are here,” Kent Jnr said.
Lot 134- Epiphaneia (Jpn) x Paronella (Jpn) (filly) | Image courtesy of the Japan Racing Horse Association
“I came over here with the intention of buying a yearling, but I went to the Yearling Sale with an open mind and an open book, really.
“I looked at every type and the filly we’ve ended up buying is my favourite filly on type. The fact that she had that real Australian flavour to her damline… all the stars aligned.
“Looking at the pedigree, you forget how good Mosheen was; she won four Group 1s and placed in the Golden Slipper. And below that is a Stravinsky mare, and her fourth dam is a half-sister to Might And Power.
“Looking at the pedigree, you forget how good Mosheen was; she won four Group 1s and placed in the Golden Slipper. And below that is a Stravinsky mare, and her fourth dam is a half-sister to Might And Power.” - Michael Kent Jnr
“She’s a gorgeous filly and her sire Epiphaneia is the hottest sire here at the moment, he’s the real deal over here at the moment. He commands the best fee and he’s siring heaps of Group 1 winners.
“He’s only a young stallion but he’s siring horses that not only win one Group 1, but win multiple Group 1s, which is some feat, given they’ve only got 25-odd Group 1s each season. They’re a lot harder to win, so when you’re producing horses that can win multiple Group 1s, they’re proper horses.”
It’s a first visit to Japan for Kent Jnr, and he couldn’t speak highly enough of the country and Sale.
Michael Kent Jnr
“It’s the most beautiful country and the people are courteous, respectful and clean. They really are gorgeous people,” he explained.
“I’ve just been blown away since I got here at how amazing the land is; there’s not one blade of grass out of place or one leaf out of place and the trees are beautiful.”
Meanwhile, a colt offered as Lot 96 from Northern Farm by Duramente (Jpn) from Jaywalk (USA) (Cross Traffic {USA}) made $3.2 million ¥300,000,000 (AU$3.2 million), while a colt offered by Northern Farm by Epiphaneia out of Awake (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) realised for ¥250,000,000 (AU$2.7 million).
Gallery: Two of the highlight lots from Day 1 of the JRHA Select Sale, images courtesy of the Japan Racing Horse Association
The Sale concludes on Tuesday, with more than 200 foals set to go through the ring. Among them is a colt by Kizuna (Jpn) from G1 VRC Oaks winner Kirramosa (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}), a filly by Satono Diamond (Jpn) out of G1 Thousand Guineas heroine Amphitrite (Sebring), and a Lord Kanaloa filly from Australian dual Group 2 victress Lumosty (Fastnet Rock).
Uniquely, the dams accompany their progeny in the ring and remain with them until they have been weaned.
