Cover image courtesy of Horsephotos
Olly and Amber Tait of Cootamundra’s Twin Hills Stud admitted to being “super proud”, after Lemon Pop notched his maiden Grade 1 success in Sunday’s February S. (1600 metres) at Tokyo.
The 5-year-old entire has a truly international backstory. Lemon Pop is out of Unreachable (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) - a sister to the great sire Danehill (USA), as well as the Grade 2 winner Eagle Eyed (USA) and the Group 3 victor Shibboleth (USA), and is a half-sister to the stakes-placed First Word (USA) (Chester House {USA}) and the American stallion Redesdale (USA).
This is also the family of Dundonnell (USA) (First Defence {USA}) - a Group 3 winner in England, a Listed winner in Hong Kong and Group 3 placegetter in Dubai.
On behalf of the Taits, Blandford Bloodstock went to 165,000gns (AU$303,000) for Unreachable from the Juddmonte draft at the 2012 Tattersalls December Mares Sale and bred her to the Grade 1 winner and producer Lemon Drop Kid (USA), who stood at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky, until 2021 when he was pensioned.
Lemon Pop was raised for the Taits in Kentucky by Padraig Campion, before selling as a weanling for US$70,000 (AU$101,400) at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. Godolphin Japan President, Harry Sweeney, purchased the chestnut in the name of Paca Paca Farm.
“It’s a big thrill to breed a Group 1 winner, it’s not an occurrence that happens every day,” Olly Tait told TDN AusNZ.
“It’s a big thrill to breed a Group 1 winner (Lemon Pop in the G1 February S.), it’s not an occurrence that happens every day.” - Olly Tait
“He’s always been a very promising horse, he’s shown a lot since day one and his record suggests that, but he’s been interrupted by the looks of things and never really had a good clear run at a number of races in a row, so it was good that he was able to do that and win a good one.”
The Hiroyasu Tanaka-trained Lemon Pop is the 10th top-level winner for his sire and and his second elite-company scorer out of a Giant's Causeway (USA) dam.
Olly Tait
Lemon Pop joins the likes of Cafe Pharoah (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}), Inti (Jpn) (Came Home {USA}) and Agnes Digital (USA) to win the race as a 5-year-old and it was A fourth consecutive American-bred winner of the ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Sweeney said: “Lemon Pop has been invited to Dubai, but we won’t be making a decision on this for some time yet. Thrilled that Lemon Pop has won a Group 1 race at his first attempt and won in good style. We are relieved that he now has a JRA Group 1 on his curriculum vitae which will be very important for his next career whenever he finishes racing.”
“Thrilled that Lemon Pop has won a Group 1 race at his first attempt and won in good style. We are relieved that he now has a JRA Group 1 on his curriculum vitae which will be very important for his next career whenever he finishes racing.” - Harry Sweeney
The victory was the second at Group level and first in the elite class for Lemon Pop.
Lemon Pop was handled by Ryusei Sakai, who spent some time riding in Australia a few years ago. Sakai picked up the ride after Keita Tosaki, who had ridden Lemon Pop to each of his seven previous wins, opted for Dry Stout (Jpn) (Sinister Minister {USA}), who placed fourth.
“(We) were shocked to read in the sports papers just two weeks ago that Keita Tosaki had decided to get off Lemon Pop to ride another horse,” Sweeney explained. “We then had to scramble to find a replacement and we are delighted with Sakai-san’s performance. It was a pressure ride for him too as he was riding Lemon Pop, the favourite, for the first time and in a Group 1 race.”
Sakai added: “I am grateful to be given the chance to ride such a strong and favored horse and am happy we won. He responded well and pulled away strongly all the way to the wire.”
Lemon Pop (USA) and connections after winning the G1 February S. at Tokyo | Image courtesy of the Japan Racing Association
Meanwhile, Mixology (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) proved too strong in the G3 Diamond S. (3400 metres) at Tokyo, La La Christine (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) took out the G3 Kyoto Himba S. (1400 metres) at Hanshin, while Hindu Times (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) won the G3 Daishoten (1800 metres).
Great Southern Sale graduate runs into Derby contention
Top Hong Kong-based trainer David Hall is eyeing the G1 Hong Kong Derby (2000 metres) with Sunday’s Class 3 TVB Midlife, Sing and Shine H. (1600 metres) winner Atullibigeal (Street Boss {USA}).
Bred by Rob Harding, Atullibigeal was offered as a weanling by Swettenham Stud at the 2019 Inglis Great Southern Sale. He made $40,000, with Ben Kwok and Bevan Smith Bloodstock buying. He then failed to reach his NZ$80,000 reserve at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1).
He subsequently entered the care of Te Awamutu-based trainer Carl Henderson for whom he won two of his five starts, including the Listed Futurity S. (1400 metres) at Ellerslie in his last New Zealand outing, and placed in the Listed Champagne S. (1600 metres).
Atullibigeal is from the unraced mare Kellys Ocean Jewel (GB) (Dansili {GB}) - a half-sister to the stakes winners Bellamy Cay (GB) (Kris {GB}) and Cinnamon Bay (GB) (Zamindar {USA}). The latter has produced the Group 1 winner New Bay (GB).
“Definitely, the Derby will be the aim. I think he’ll run the distance and he’s got enough points there – he’s a worthy runner,” Hall said.
“Definitely, the (G1 Hong Kong) Derby will be the aim. I think he’ll (Atullibigeal) run the distance and he’s got enough points there – he’s a worthy runner.” - David Hall
“I think (Sunday’s) win will just about guarantee he gets a run (in the Derby). He won’t run in the (Hong Kong) Classic Cup and what path we take to get there – I am not sure of yet.
“He’s shown a lot at home – he’s loaded with raw ability and today (Sunday) it was a tricky draw and there was a fair bit of pressure early on which we didn’t quite expect.”
Atullibigeal as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Karaka graduate lands another Class 1
Tavistock (NZ) gelding Beluga (NZ), another runner trained by Hall, produced his second Class 1 success in the space of four starts when taking out Sunday’s TVB Yan Oi Tong Charity Show H. (1400 metres) under Matthew Poon.
The 6-year-old was consigned by Curraghmore at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1), where Riversley Park and partners went to NZ$150,000.
Beluga is from the stakes performer Prestigious Miss (Written Tycoon) - a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Cassini (NZ) (Reset).
His second dam, Mathematical (NZ) (Honor Grades {USA}), is a half-sister to the stakes winners Centrofold (NZ) (Centro {NZ}) and Smart Kid (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}), while his third dam is the Group 1 victress True Devotion (Beau Sovereign {NZ}).
“He’s a very genuine racehorse, he’s been a good servant for the stable and it’s good to get the Class 1 win today,” said Hall.
“You’d like a stable full of them. He’s just kept delivering every preparation and I’d like to find a few more.”
