Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
Muramasa was settled at the back of the classy field by Daniel Moor and when he was asked to go and win the 1427-metre race, he responded in fine style, unleashing a potent turn of foot to nail American Liaison (American Pharoah {USA}) by 0.1l on the line.
With Thursday’s win, Muramasa - who is raced by consortium of owners, including Ozzie Kheir and John O'Neill - entered the reckoning for some big spring targets, including the G1 VRC Derby and G1 Caulfield Guineas and while there is a fair bit of water to pass under the bridge, all the right ingredients seem to be present, making it hard to rule out those sorts of high-class contests.
Aside from his beautiful pedigree, Muramasa is trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, who have proved year after year their aptitude for training middle-distance 3-year-olds and they have already tasted Classic victory with the progeny of the influential, late sire Deep Impact (Jpn) with the partnership having saddled Glint Of Hope (Jpn) to win last season’s G1 Australasian Oaks.
Further trips on the horizon
The colt hold nominations for the G1 Golden Rose S., G1 Caulfield Guineas and G1 Cox Plate and Young was impressed with the colt’s debut performance, believing he will only improve the further he travels.
Muramasa | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“He was always going to be strong late and he will get even better the further he goes,” said Young. “It’s early days, but we’ve always thought quite a lot of him so if he can get to a Guineas or a Derby as he’ll have that sport of prep, but we’ll just see.
“We paid a little bit for him at Easter, although not as much as I thought we would, so it’s nice he’s kicked off today and got that win under his belt.”
Purchased by his trainers for $500,000 out of the draft of his co-breeders Arrowfield Stud at the 2021 edition of the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Muramasa is the first foal out of the ultra-talented racemare Omei Sword (High Chaparral {Ire}), who is herself out of G1 Thousand Guineas winner Irish Lights (Fastnet Rock), making her a half-sister to UK Listed winner Lipizzaner (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}).
Muramasa as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Omei Sword - who was herself purchased by her trainer Chris Waller for $675,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2015 - landed the G2 Silver Shadow S. before finishing second behind Astern in the G1 Golden Rose S. in 2016. Meanwhile, she also ran second in the G2 Surround S. and G2 Magic Night S., and third in the G2 Golden Pendant.
A sound investment
At the conclusion of her racing career, she was offered by Newgate Farm at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale and was subsequently purchased by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) and Freyer Bloodstock for $1,700,000, the third most expensive price that year.
Jon Freyer, bloodstock manager at Arrowfield Stud, told TDN AusNZ that Muramasa had always been a nice colt and he was pleased to see him get his first win under his belt on Thursday.
Jon Freyer | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“He was purchased for $500,000, which is obviously a lot of money, but in saying that you are getting a lot of horse and a lot of pedigree for that money,” he said. “He was a lovely colt, a big strong first foal. Omei Sword is a lovely big, strong mare herself and a super impressive individual.
“He was very impressive today (Thursday). He certainly looked a Derby colt in the making, especially given the pedigree he’s got and the mare he is out of. You would have every reason to be very excited about what the future holds for him.
“He (Muramasa) was very impressive today (Thursday). He certainly looked a Derby colt in the making, especially given the pedigree he’s got and the mare (Omei Sword) is out of.” - Jon Freyer
“I think it was quite a good race as well, there are a number of horses in it who hold good entries. It was also run genuinely, so you got the right result. I just felt that when he dropped the bit and got a bit of a bump on the turn he was able to gather himself up and finish off well, that’s a sign of a very good horse in my opinion.”
Fantastic record
Busuttin and Young have enjoyed great success when buying off Arrowfield in the past, having purchased their future G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Tagaloa - who incidentally was also by a Japanese-bred stallion in Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) - off the farm for $300,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2019.
“Trent and Natalie’s record with these types of horses is fantastic and particularly with the younger horses, they are really good at getting the 3-year-olds up and running for Derbies and Classics,” said Freyer.
“Trent and Natalie’s record with these types of horses is fantastic and particularly with the younger horses, they are really good at getting the 3-year-olds up and running for Derbies and Classics.” - Jon Freyer
“They have been great supporters of Arrowfield over the years, they have bought some great horses, including Tagaloa. So, apart from being good trainers, they have both got a good eye for a young horse.”
The year after producing Muramasa, Omei Sword foaled a filly by I Am Invincible, who was bought by Kia Ora Stud for $800,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale earlier this year, while last seasons she produced a colt by Yarraman Park’s Champion Sire and he is likely to be offered at either the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale or Inglis Easter sale.
The daughter of High Chaparral (Ire) is currently in foal to Arrowfield’s resident multiple Champion Sire Snitzel and will likely be covered by him again this spring, though nothing is set in stone.
Snitzel | Standing at Arrowfield
“Every foal that she’s had has been a great type. She had a lovely I Am Invincible filly that sold at Easter this year and she has got another one by the sire, a colt, who will likely go to the Magic Millions or Easter next year, so she is doing the job,” said Freyer.
“She’s currently in foal to Snitzel and we have her booked to go back to him, but she is a little later, so we'll play it a little bit by ear.”
Long-lasting influence
The late Shadai Stallion Station-based Deep Impact - who died in 2019 - has an extraordinary record in Australia and in winning Thursday’s contest Muramasa becomes the 28th winner for the stallion, from 44 starters.
Deep Impact has been represented by five Group 1 winners in the country, including G1 Spring Champion S. winner Profondo, whom Arrowfield sold to Galletta Construction for a sale-topping $1.9 million at the 2020 edition of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Profondo | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Freyer said Deep Impact’s influence on the breed would be felt for many years to come.
“Deep Impact is good everywhere. He has only had a handful of runners here and he has done particularly well albeit from a small sample,” he said. “He was just a very good stallion and he was also a superior racehorse.
“He was by a great stallion himself in Sunday Silence and he was out of a really deep family. There are tremendous genetics there and it is blood that has worked everywhere in the world and he will be an influence that stays in the breed for many more generations to come.”
