Bright Track Weekly
In a world where challenges often take centre stage, we bring focus on the positive. Bright Track Weekly highlights a selection of racing and breeding snippets, celebrating the vitality of our great sport.
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Japan Cup - This Sunday
This Sunday will see the 2024 running of the Group 1 Japan Cup in Tokyo, with total prize money of over A$11 million on offer for a field of 14 runners. Pictured above is 2023's outstanding winner Equinox.
The market leaders look to be Japanese locals Do Deuce (by Heart's Cry) and Cervinia (by Harbinger). Do Deuce was an impressive winner of the Group 1 Tenno Sho in October, showing a fantastic turn of foot to get there from the back of the pack. Cervinia is this year's star three-year-old filly in Japan, winning the Group 1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) and the Group 1 Shuka Sho in her past two starts. She takes her first step against the older horses on Sunday.
The race is also given great flavour by virtue of a pair of exciting challengers from Europe. Goliath (by Adlerflug) was a hugely impressive winner of the Group 1 King George and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot over the summer, then a cosy winner of the Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris last month in preparation for this race. He is German-bred and trained in France by Francis-Henri Graffard originally for owner/breeder the Baron von Ullmann, and since the King George a significant stake has been sold to USA-based owner John Stewart's Resolute Racing.
The other European challenger is dual Derby winner and six-time Group 1 winner Auguste Rodin (by Deep Impact). He is trained in Ireland by the master of Ballydoyle, Aidan O'Brien, racing for the Coolmore team. Auguste Rodin was a close second to Economics in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes in his most recent start, and looks to make amends here.
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Records fall at New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale
The latest sale in Australasia was this week's New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, and again, the sale indices increased from last year's figures. Last year's sale had seen the aggregate increase by 39% up to NZ$35.1 million (A$31.2 million), and this rose again, by a further 9.7% up to NZ$38.5 million (A$34.7 million). The average price held steady, with more horses on offer this year.
The sale highlight saw a new record for a two-year-old in training sale in Australasia, with David Ellis of Te Akau Racing paying NZ$1.65 million (A$1.49 million) for Lot 174 (pictured), the I Am Invincible colt out of dual Flemington Group 1 winner Shillelagh, who was bred by Chris and Susannah Grace, and reared at Segenhoe Stud in New South Wales.
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A new star rises at Sha Tin
It had been 17 years since Sacred Kingdom scorched the turf at Sha Tin to set the 1200m track record which, despite being a strong sprinting jurisdiction, had stood the test of time until last weekend. The new superstar of Hong Kong racing, Ka Ying Rising (pictured above) lowered the mark to 1:07.43 in the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint.
Ka Ying Rising is a son of New Zealand-based stallion Shamexpress, who stands at Windsor Park Stud. He is now undefeated in his past seven starts for trainer David Hayes, and will be a heavy favourite to take out the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin on 8th December.
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Kimochi reigns for Gary Portelli and Yulong
Kimochi (by Brave Smash) has been a fine stalwart for her trainer Gary Portelli (pictured above with winning jockey Craig Williams and Yulong Chief Operating Officer Sam Fairgray), only missing a top four finish three times in her 18-start career, and together they claimed a well-deserved Group 1 victory last weekend in the Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.
She was the latest high-priced acquisition for Mr Yuesheng Zhang's Yulong operation to pay dividends after the tremendous exploits of Via Sistina, with Kimochi having been purchased for $2.2 million at this year's Inglis Chairman's Sale. Congratulations to Yulong who had yet another fantastic day at the races, with two-year-old Gobi Desert also taking out the Max Lees Classic at Newcastle.
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Espionage back into work
After suffering a frustrating injury when kicking out on the walker which required surgery, our dual Group-winning 3YO colt Espionage has been undertaking a gradual rehabilitation at both Coolmore Mt White and Oak Ridge Spelling Farm.
He has taken everything in his stride and blossomed into a magnificent specimen over the Spring. We cannot wait to get him back into action for our owners and our stud partner Coolmore. He will head back into work with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott early next week, with his initial target being the Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington on Saturday 15th February.
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