With 50m to run in the $10,000,000 Golden Eagle at Rosehill, the Godolphin accountant was banking the first and second prize with Pericles and Golden Mile when Josh Parr spoiled the party when scything between them on the lightly raced Japanese colt Obamburumai (JPN).
Riding for luck in search for the red-hot rail, Parr found a narrow seam on the 4-year-old (3yo in the northern hemisphere) son of Discreet Cat (USA) to defeat Pericles (Street Boss) by a long-head with Golden Mile (Astern) a half-length back in third.
Speaking through a translator, winning trainer Keiji Yoshimura said he shouted himself hoarse.
“We really focused on getting the horse ready for this race today,” he said.
“All the people that were before me came and made a successful racing industry in Japan.
“I have never screamed so loud after a race in my life.
“It was a perfect ride by Josh. He took some time before the race to go over the tactics and he just played it out perfectly.
“Really, this is a result of everyone that was involved, even when we were back in Japan before flying here. Everyone at Canterbury, all the staff, the Australian Turf Club, were so kind. The horse got acclimatised to the environment so quickly and I couldn’t thank everybody enough for the victory today.
“To win on such a big stage, the international stage in Australia, it gives me a confidence boost going forward as a trainer.”
It was a lucky late ride for Josh Parr, who replaced Yutaka Take.
“My voice is breaking up. I’ve been doing some roaring in the last five minutes, I tell you,” Parr said.
“What a moment this is in my career, in my life, everything. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to pick up this horse today.
“Obviously the disappointment of Yutaka Take missing out through injury, that doesn’t sit right with me. But the fact that I was Johnny on the spot, I got the ride and I produced one of my better ones to get the victory, I’m speechless.
“He is one hell of an animal, isn’t he? I actually had a phone call with my Mum last night and Mum said, ‘what can I expect?” I said ‘I’m pretty sure he’s the best horse I’ve sat upon, but he’s going to need a lot of luck’. “He got the luck and he showed his ability.
“I do it hard with my weight, but it’s 100 per cent my choice to do that. I attack it with full throttle, although at times I’m very hard to deal with. Trust me, my family may as well be fully qualified psychologists because they get me through
“When you speak of (wife) Amanda and (kids) Bonnie and Sadie, I can’t help but get emotional. They were very keen for me to come and win today, and I pretty much get out of bed every day for them. I love them.”
A Group II winner at Tokyo and Group II winner at Hanshin, Obamburumai advances his record to four wins and a third from six starts with the equivalent of $6,629,077 in earnings.
The third came in the Group 1 NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo at his most recent start in May.
By the Grade 1 Cigar Mile winner Discreet Cat (Forestry), Obamburumai is the best of two winners from as many to race for the Deep Impact mare Pink Gerbera, a sister to Group III winner Blac Bonheur and Listed winner Entscheiden and three-quarter to dual Group III winner Bien Fait (Kizuna).
Pink Gerbera’s dam Le Sucre (Sakura Bakushin O) is out of a sister to champion stallion and former Arrowfield Stud shuttler Unbridled’s Song.
