What does a debut winner tell us about Japanese investment in Australia?

Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography

Satomi’s debut victory at Eagle Farm on Saturday offered more than an encouraging first raceday performance. It provided a practical example of how Japanese involvement in Australian racing is continuing to evolve - moving beyond elite broodmare purchases toward a more sustained engagement with the domestic ownership and racing landscape.

The win also arrived at a timely moment, with the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale approaching and Japanese buying activity at that sale having increased noticeably in recent years.

Satomi: from bargain weanling to promising debut

Satomi’s story highlights the value that can still be found within the Australian system.

The daughter of The Autumn Sun was secured by Japanese businessman and racing and breeding enthusiast Koji Oka for just $30,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale from the KBL Thoroughbreds draft.

At the time, she was a leggy, later-maturing type rather than a compact early sprinter, which likely influenced her price. That physical profile stood in contrast to her pedigree, being by Arrowfield Stud’s elite stallion The Autumn Sun and out of Girl In Flight (Commands).

Girl In Flight was a G3 Schweppervescence Stakes winner and multiple Group placegetter, and has since proven a reliable producer, leaving four winners from four runners.

Commercially, the family has also performed well. Satomi’s half-sister Night Witches (I Am Invincible) was a $240,000 yearling purchase by Godolphin, while her full sister Amaretto Sour (The Autumn Sun) made $525,000 when sold to Bahen Bloodstock and Matt Laurie Racing at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Trainer Stephen Lee was delighted with Satomi’s debut performance.

“She had only had one trial and instead of trialling again I thought I would go for a bit of extra ground and go to the races and it would be a bit like a trial, and we got the result so that was fantastic,” Lee said.

“Even in the trial she probably struggled to keep up a bit until late, so I really do think she is going to get over a mile and even further. She did a little bit wrong, but overall she was reasonably professional.”

Lee explained how Satomi came into his care.

“She was originally with Daiki Chujo, but when he had to take a bit of time off with a disqualification, Koji Oka asked me to take her and some of his other horses. We educated her up, built a bit of work into her and got a result.

“She is actually quite a big rangy 2-year-old and that’s probably why he got her so cheap. She has a lovely long stride. She may have one more run if we can find maybe a 1300-metre type race, then she can have a break and come back for the end of the Queensland carnival and maybe target a 1400-metre or 1600-metre race potentially. It was a very good result for Koji Oka.”

Why Japanese buyers are drawn to Australia

Satomi’s win aligns with a broader pattern emerging through the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, which has become an accessible entry point for Japanese buyers looking to invest in Australian racing.

While Satomi was progressing toward her winning debut, Oka had been active in New Zealand, purchasing a Sword Of State colt out of a half-sister to Champion 3-year-old filly Sunlight (Zoustar) for NZ$125,000 at Karaka from the Leanach Lodge draft.

Oka’s name may already be familiar to Australian audiences, having owned the 2023 Golden Eagle winner Obamburumai (Discreet Cat), a result that helped cement his confidence in sourcing horses from the Southern Hemisphere.

Satomi Oka, Inglis Japan Consultant and Overseas Representative, believes the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale is a key entry point for Japanese buyers.

“I think the Japanese have had very good success buying from the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale from only very limited numbers,” she explained.

“Japanese buyers have bought Group winners such as Believe Yourself and Roots that went on to become Group winners.”

She said the Classic Sale offers an ideal introduction.

“I think it is a really good sale for Japanese buyers to test the waters and make an introduction to buying from Australia, the quality is good but the prices aren’t as much as Easter.”

After just one Japanese purchase per year between 2022 and 2024, activity surged in 2025, with seven yearlings purchased for a total of $1.2 million. Buyers included Jewelry Piko Racing, K Morikawa, Bright LLC, TIB LLC, and Koji Oka himself, with some of them alongside Satomi Oka (FBAA) as a leading guiding figure.

“These horses can suit Japanese syndicators that may look to syndicate them in Australia or take them back to Japan, it’s a really good market for them,” Satomi Oka said.

She added, “We work hard to get Japanese buyers here at Classic and all Inglis sales, but Classic does suit in a way to slightly minimise that risk.

“It is a little bit easier to enter that market and be able to compete and get horses by all of the big sires. Success brings the buyers back, and Japanese buyers have had success.”

A growing support network

Daiki Chujo, continues to assist Koji Oka with selecting weanlings and yearlings, playing a key role in the purchasing process for Australian and New Zealand bloodstock, particularly as a guiding figure with the difficulties in language barriers.

“He (Koji Oka) generally likes choosing his own yearlings. I play a role in helping him find them and the process in Australia, but he does make the final call,” Chujo said.

Chujo has faced challenges in recent times, having served a six-month disqualification for submitting forms with incorrect signatures, and failing to lodge an Unnamed Horse Transfer of Ownership form to reflect his purchase and ownership.

While that period is over, he must still complete the process of regaining his training licence, which he operates under his Japanoz Equestrian & Racing Stables banner from Ballina. As a result, Satomi was transferred to Stephen Lee.

Reflecting on Satomi’s purchase, Chujo said, “We sent her to Widden Stud and they did a great job rearing her there. She was still quite a leggy type, not a typical Australian chunky type.

“Mr Oka likes the Japanese type stayers and middle-distance horses so she appealed to us and Mr Oka had no intention of re-selling her, it was a purchase to race.”

Chujo praised Lee’s handling of the filly.

“Stephen Lee has done a very good job with her. I had to give her up when I had to have some time off through disqualification. My time has finished now in January, it’s just a process to get it back up.”

He also noted the growing trend of Japanese breeders sourcing Australian mares.

“Mr Oka has a stud in Japan. There is a growing trend of Japanese breeders looking to buy Australian mares and either race them here or in Japan and then send them to Japan to stud. He has had some pretty good results.”

Chujo explained how his relationship with Oka began. “When Mr Oka was over for the Golden Eagle, he had a Japanese translator Joe Fujii, who I am good friends with. The horse won and our relationship grew from there.”

Joe Fujii, a former Australian-based jockey, has been a wheelchair user since sustaining injuries resulting in no feeling below his chest after suffering spinal damage in a race fall in Japan in April 2022. Fujii has thrived in this role and is often sales-side alongside Chujo and Oka in Australia.

When asked whether Oka would be active again at the sales this year, Chujo said, “Whether it is Classic, Premier or even Easter, Mr Oka will be active. He has a big business to run in Japan also, so I’m not sure for this week, but he will be back over at some stage to buy more Australian horses.”

After the impressive success at Eagle Farm on Saturday with Satomi, Koji Oka’s love for Australian thoroughbreds appears stronger than ever.