Cover image courtesy of JRHA
Some of Australia’s best racemares have found a second life in Japan, and their growing influence will be on display at this week’s JRHA Select Sale.
The 552-lot catalogue includes six yearlings or foals out of Australasian Group 1 winners, led by a Kitasan Black (Jpn) half-brother to the late champion Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), from G1 Golden Slipper placegetter and dual Group 1 winner Yankee Rose (All American).
Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) have colts by Equinox (Jpn), while Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) is represented by her first foal, a colt by Kizuna (Jpn). Four-time Group 1 winner Mosheen (Fastnet Rock) has a Maurice (Jpn) filly catalogued, along with yearlings by Maurice and Westover (GB) from two of her daughters.
Six Group 1 winning mares
There are two yearlings out of local Group 1 winning mares set to sell on the first day and another four foals on the second day.
The sale opens early for local interests with Lot 3, a filly by Japanese Triple Crown winner and 2025 Champion First Season Sire Contrail (Jpn). She is the fifth foal of Amphitrite (Sebring) who won the G1 MRC Thousand Guineas and two other group races.
Sold privately to Japan, Amphitrite has produced two winners including the promising 3-year-old filly Monroe Walk (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) who has won twice recently.
Amphitrite | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
One of the most sought after lots at the foal sale will be Lot 401, the Kitasan Black (Jpn) half-brother to Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). The Champion 2YO Filly and Champion 3YO Filly won five races, three at Group 1 level, and placed in the G1 Japan Cup, G1 Hong Kong Cup and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, before sadly dying as a 4-year-old.
Her dam is the brilliant Champion 2YO and Champion 3YO Filly Yankee Rose (All American). Yankee Rose won her first two starts, including the Golden Gift which will be at Listed level for the first time in 2026, before running second to Capitalist in the G1 Golden Slipper and winning the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Back at three, she was second in the G1 Flight Stakes but disqualified after testing positive to the anti-inflammatory drug Ketorolac, then won the G1 Spring Champion Stakes and was third in the G1 Cox Plate behind Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) and Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}).
Yankee Rose | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Sold privately to Japan, as well as Liberty Island, she has produced four other winners.
The Group 1 winning half-sisters Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) are both represented by colts by dual Horse of the Year Equinox (Jpn) whose oldest crop are yearlings.
G1 Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar was sold at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.4 million. She has been a successful broodmare in Japan, already producing G2 Hobe Shimbun Hai victor Eri King (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) who was Group 1 placed at three last season in the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japan St Leger). Eri King sold at this sale as a yearling for ¥231 million (AU$2 million). Her yearling colt is Lot 110.
Youngstar | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Funstar has a colt foal by Equinox to sell on the second day as Lot 329. Winner of the G1 Flight Stakes and two Group 2 races, Funstar was sold via Inglis Digital in July 2021 to Katsumi Yoshida for $2.7 million. Her first foal in Japan, 3-year-old colt Danon Funstar (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) is a winner.
Youngstar and Funstar are also half-sister to winning mare Baggy Green (Galileo {Ire}) who is the dam of Group 1 winners Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) and No Compromise (NZ) (Pins) as well as stakes winners Benaud (Reliable Man {GB}) and Bradman (NZ) (Pins).
Selling on day two is Lot 305, a colt foal by proven sire Kizuna (Jpn) who is the first foal of G1 Robert Sangster Stakes winner Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}). A winner on debut at Caulfield at two, Ruthless Dame won the G3 VRC Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at her second start.
Back at three, she placed in the G1 Surround Stakes to Sunshine In Paris (Invader) and won the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes. Ruthless Dame was sold at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2024 for $2 million to Katsumi Yoshida.
Ruthless Dame | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Mosheen’s growing influence
Brilliant four-time Group 1 winner Mosheen (Fastnet Rock) is getting on in years now but her influence in Japan continues to expand. The rising 18-year-old mare will be represented by her own Maurice (Jpn) filly foal on day two, catalogued as Lot 369, as well as two yearlings on the first day from her daughters.
Mosheen, a $250,000 yearling herself, debuted with victory at Caulfield before running second to Sepoy in the G1 Golden Slipper at only her second start. Back at three, she won the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes before running third in the G1 Thousand Guineas. She would later be disqualified from this race as part of a broad Aquanita-owned doping scam that affected 72 different horses.
It didn’t matter to Mosheen, she went on to win the G1 Victoria Oaks, and in the autumn, the G1 Australian Guineas, G1 Randwick Guineas, and G1 Vinery Stud Stakes. She added another Group 2 win at four to retire with eight wins from 18 starts and $2.6 million in earnings.
Mosheen | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Purchased privately for Japan, she has been a wonderful broodmare with five winners including a pair of stakes winners. Primo Scene (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was a three-time Group 3 winner who placed in the G1 Victoria Mile, while the full brother to Lot 369, Danon Ayers Rock (Jpn) is a dual Listed winner. Another full sibling, 3-year-old filly Moreton Island (Jpn), is a stakes placed winner.
On the first day, two yearlings out of Mosheen’s daughters will face the auctioneer. Lot 134 is a Maurice colt from Paronella (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who has already produced stakes placed 4-year-old mare Karpuz Pelus (Jpn) (Grand Cheval {Jpn}). Her 3-year-old colt Innis Fail (Jpn) (Fierement {Jpn}) is a recent winner.
Lot 248 is a filly by Westover (GB) out of Mosheen’s daughter Calico (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) who has produced four winners.
Australian families on offer
On the first day, the yearlings, there are three yearlings out of Australian-born mares, who might not have the same race record as the aforementioned stars but of interest.
The highlight of this group is Lot 245, a yearling colt by Champion Dirt Horse and G1 Champions Cup winner Chrysoberyl (Jpn) out of Modica (American Pharoah {USA}). A daughter of G2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner More Than Real (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}), Modica is a half-sister to blue hen mare and Listed winner Miss Debutante (Fastnet Rock).
Miss Debutante’s first three foals are all group winning 2-year-olds, led by G1 Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) who was recently retired after being injured by a stingray while in training in Queensland.
Miss Debutante | Image courtesy of Sportix
Modica was sold by Kia Ora Stud as a yearling to Katsumi Yoshida for $260,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and in Japan, she had 14 starts, winning twice. This colt is her first foal.
A truly international pedigree is the story behind Rose Pharaoh (American Pharoah {USA}), who is an Australian-born daughter of Listed winner and G1 Fillies Mile-placed Roz (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}). Sent to Japan after passing in as a yearling, Rose Pharaoh won twice over 1200 metres in Japan and her yearling filly, Lot 171, by Palace Malice (USA) is her first foal.
Roz is a half-sister to four-time Group 1 winner Hartnell, a fan favourite in Australia who often bumped into the Champion mare Winx.
Lot 33, a yearling colt by proven sire Drefong (Jpn) is out of Achondrite (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) who arrived in Australia in utero with her dam Asterix (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}). Achondrite was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for $375,000 as a yearling from Arrowfield Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and was a winner in Sydney as a late 3-year-old before heading back to Japan.
Asterix stayed in Australia to have three more foals, led by Listed winner Akari (Snitzel) before she also headed back to Japan. Her first foal, the one before Achondrite, is G1 NHK Mile Cup winner Aerolithe (Jpn) (Kurofune {Jpn}). Achondrite has produced one winner in Japan from two to race.
Akari | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Rounding out those with Australian connections is Lot 175, a yearling colt by Silver State (Jpn) who is a half-brother to G1 Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}). The Japan Horse Of The Year also won three Group 1 races in Japan.
Lys Gracieux, and Lot 175, are out of triple Listed winner Liliside (Fr) (American Post {GB}).
Stallions who have spent time in Australia or New Zealand and have progeny in the JRHA catalogue are Admire Mars (Jpn), Auguste Rodin (Ire), Benbatl (GB), Maurice (Jpn), Real Steel (Jpn), Satono Aladdin (Jpn), Saxon Warrior (Jpn), and Wootton Bassett (GB).
