The Opera House's Grandson wins in Japan

Mark Smith - Sunday May 26

A snow-white grandson of the cult mare The Opera House,  Aoraki (JPN) chalked up his second win in 22 starts at Kasamatsu on Friday.

Advertisement

In a lesson of perseverance, the 4-year-old son of Gold Ship (JPN) took 19 starts to break his maiden and has now won two of his past four on the dirt.

Aoraki’s dam Casta Diva (High Chaparral) was a $450,000 purchase for Dearest Club, Japan, at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka.

Casta Diva won a 2600m maiden at Hakodate and placed twice in eleven starts.

She is the third foal and the first of three consecutive white foals for Might And Power’s three-quarter sister The Opera House (Zabeel).

Costa Diva $450,000 Karaka yearling

Aoraki is her first foal, and the second Pounamu (Satono Diamond) is bay. Casta Diva struck gold again with her latest foal, a white daughter of Deep Impact’s 3-time Group 1 winning son Fierement (JPN).

The Opera House’s first two foals were a bay and chestnut, born in Australia. The next three born in New Zealand were all white. The Shamexpress colt Grand Bernini and the Charm spirit filly Utzon followed Casta Diva. The following four foals were all bays.  

Utzon shares a paddock with many other celebrities at Yulong. She has a white yearling filly and a white weanling filly by Alabama Express.  

Advertisment
More Reading...
$600,000 Hellbent Filly Sets New Benchmark for Her Sire
Yarraman Park's Hellbent was always going to have a good sale at Magic Millions with his best ever draft of yearlings to be offered and a slew of smart gallopers racing up a storm over the summer and on Wednesday he made a splash with a cracking filly that sold for $600,000.
Yarramalong Park Celebrate Best Ever Result with $650,000 Home Affairs Colt
Exciting young sire Home Affairs made his mark at Magic Millions on Wednesday with an outstanding colt that made $650,000 for Queensland nursery Yarramalong Park.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday January 14
Here is the full list of 43 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$1million I Am Invincible Filly to Gai and Adrian
Champion sire I Am Invincible has already had two fillies sell for a million or more at the Gold Coast this year and had a third first thing on Thursday morning at Magic Millions.
$575,000 Filly Puts Spotlight on Satono Aladdin
A Group I winning sprinter miler by Deep Impact, Satono Aladdin (Jpn) is already a G1 producing sire and is the equal most represented of all sires at Karaka 2026 with 54 entries and Australian buyers have been given a taste of things to come at Magic Millions.
$2million Extreme Choice Colt Stars on MM Day 2
An outstanding colt by Newgate Farm's superstar sire Extreme Choice has sold for $2 million and now shares top spot on the leaderboard after a red hot second day of the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Wednesday.
Pencarrow’s Elite 24-Strong Draft Selling at Karaka 2026
Karaka 2026 will mark 100 years of the National Yearling Sale, and Pencarrow Stud are pleased to offer another outstanding draft of 24 yearlings for their 31st year of selling under their own banner.
Anamoe Colt Bred on Magic Cross Sells for $850,000 to MyRacehorse
The first yearlings by Australian Horse of the Year Anamoe have been in hot demand this week at Magic Millions with two fillies selling for $800,000 and on Thursday that mark was surpassed by a gorgeous colt that made $850,000.
Zoustar Mare Chasing Another G2
Stephen Marsh will be chasing a third victory in Saturday’s Gr.2 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham and is confident he has the firepower on reasonable ground to go close.
Superstars at the Randwick Trials
Busy set of trials on Thursday morning with a big bearing on autumn feature races so let’s have a look at what unfolded – were you happy with your favourite?