With the likelihood that this will be the last chance to purchase a yearling by the phenomenal Deep Impact (JPN) in Japan , his 13 lots catalogued for Monday’s yearling session of the JRHA Select Sale at Northern Horse Park were destined to set off fireworks and they didn’t disappoint.
Leading the way was Lot 114 a half-brother to the 2016 Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) out of the unraced Mineshaft mare Sheave (Mineshaft) who was purchased for 510 million yen (AUD$6,868,000) by Tetsuhide Kunimoto, setting a new mark for the sale.
Lot 56 a Deep Impact colt out of the Grade II Santa Ynez Stakes winner Forever Darling sold to Danox Co. Ltd for 400 million yen (AUD$5,386,000). Forever Darling’s stakes-winning dam Darling My darling is a half-sister to Japan Cup winner and Horse Of The Year Zeno Rob Roy.
Lot 36 a Deep Impact filly out of the Grade 1 winning Salt Lake mare Teddy’s Promise went the way of KIEFFERS Co. Ltd for 240 million yen (AUD$3,232,000). The filly is a half-sister to the Group III winner My Rhapsody (Heart’s Cry). she was the top-price filly of the sale
Lot 67 a Deep Impact colt out of Absolute Lady was hammered down to Kaneko Makoto Holdings for 220 million yen (AUD2,962,000). The colt is a half-brother to the French Oaks and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine La Cressonniere (Le Havre).
The great King Kamehameha (JPN) spent most of his life living in the shadow of Deep Impact (JPN) however he had the honour of having the last lot off the sensation, which proved to be the second top-priced filly. The daughter of Kinshasa No Kiseki’s sister Marciano (Fuji Kiseki) was knocked down to Azabu Shoji for 170 million yen (AUD$2,280,000)
Australasian interest started just two lots into the sale when a Duramente filly out of Fastnet Rock’s Lumosty was purchased by Azabu Shoji for 30 million yen (AUD$410,000)
Winner of the Group II Moonee Valley Fillies Classic winner and Group 1-placed, Lumosty was a $185,000 purchase at the 2013 Easter Yearling Sale and was raced by the late Phil Sly and Katsumi Yoshida.
Lot 53 was a filly by Just A Way out of More Than Ready’s Group 1 NZ Oaks winner More Than Sacred was purchased by Nagoya Yuho Co. Ltd for 14m yen (AUD188,000).
Lot 122 was a Heart’s Cry filly out of the VRC Oaks winner Kirramosa (Alamosa) that was purchased by Shinobu Nakanishi 49 million yen (AUD$657,000).
Lot 144 a half-brother to five winners, including the stakes-placed Star Field, by Leontes out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Rouge Coeur sold for 41 million yen (AUD$550,000).
As a dual Group 1 winning son of Deep Impact, Mikki Isle (JPN) deserved a better reception from breeders in Australia particularly as he stood at a value fee of $13,750. His first crop of two-year-olds in Japan have impressed enough for Gaen Kogyo to outlay 82 million yen (AUS$1.1 million) for a colt out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Ticker Code a daughter of the dual Grade 1 winner Ticker Tape (Royal Applause).
Like Mikki Isle (JPN), the pandemic will stop Deep Impact’s Group 1 winning son Satono Aladdin (JPN) shuttling this year, however Rich Hill Stud will be buoyed by the reception given to his first crop.
Satono Aladdin (JPN) had just four lots catalogued. His first lot through the ring, a filly out of the group III Nell Gwyn stakes winner Esentepe (Oratorio) made 40 million yen (AUD$536,000) but that was quickly bettered by a colt out of the Monsun mare Mystique that sold for 60 million yen (AUD$805,000). Mystique is a sister to Group 1 Doomben Cup winner and Grenville Stud resident Marwingo (GER).
Near the end of the sale Satono Aladdin (JPN) had a filly out of the stakes-winning Exchange Rate mare C Karma sell for 34 million yen (AUD$456,000) and another filly out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Semelle de Vent make 21 million yen (AUD$282,000).
Others of interest include a filly by American Pharoah (USA) out of the Candy Ride mare Audibon Park, which made 41 million yen (AUD$550,000) and a Caravaggio (IRE) colt out of the War Front mare Old Time Walz who sold for 105 million yen (AUD1,408,000).
Overall, 229 of the 249 lots offered found new homes at an exceptional clearance rate of 92%.
The yearling session grossed 10,428,000,000 yen (AUD$139,832,000) at an average of 45,537,118 yen (AUD$610,620) and a median of 31,000,000 yen (AUD$415,687).
