Fine Needle Strikes in Sprinters

Undeterred by the looming presence of inbound Typhoon Trami, Fine Needle (Jpn) inked his second Group 1 tally in the G1 Sprinters S. at Nakayama on Sunday, a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint slated for Churchill Downs in November. The Godolphin runner came with a punishing late charge to deny Love Kampf (Jpn) (Shonan Kampf {Jpn}) by a neck, with Rhein Spirit (Jpn) (Swept Overboard) only a half-length back in third in the 1200m contest over a turf course rated good.

“I am relieved to have been able to come up with the best results as the race favorite,” said trainer Yoshitada Takahashi. “I knew by the look of Fine Needle's eyes at the saddling area that he had switched into racing mode. He was positioned exactly where I had imagined and I was a little concerned when the jockey was urging the horse on at the third corner, but the horse got into gear and then geared up again once entering the stretch so from there I was just hoping with all my heart that he would reach the leader in time.”

Tabbed the 9-5 favourite, the 5-year-old entire settled in midpack well off the fence behind splits of :22 even for the quarter and :44.30 for the first half-mile. Angling six deep 400 metres from home, the blinkered bay split horses in upper stretch and let down powerfully when called upon under Yuga Kawada. His acceleration did the trick, as the entire had built up just enough momentum to nip Love Kampf on the line with a perfectly timed effort.

It was not smooth sailing for Hong Kong invader Lucky Bubbles (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) who had Brett Prebble at the controls on Sunday. As Fine Needle began his rally, the Hong Kong G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize victor broke left midway on the final bend and was pulled up quickly thereafter, having sustained a ruptured suspensory ligament in his left foreleg. The Francis Lui trainee will not race again.

“We were going smoothly and following the winner and felt I was going to have every conceivable chance then I

heard something pop which wasn't a nice thing to hear,” said Prebble.

Said winning jockey Kawada, “He sure validated his win in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen with this JRA-sprint-Group 1 double and two other grade-race victories which undoubtedly places him as the top sprinter in Japan.”

Fine Needle earned his first group victory in the G2 Sankei Sho Centaur S. at Hanshin last September, but was well-beaten in this affair last term. Kicking off his 5-year-old season in style with a win in the G3 Silk Road S. at Kyoto in January, the dark bay claimed the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen going this trip at the end of March, and now after Sunday's result, is well on his way to top sprinter honours. Only fourth in Hong Kong's G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin on Apr. 29, Fine Needle warmed up with a victory over the aforementioned Love Kampf with his second Sankei Sho Centaur S. title on Sept. 9.

Pedigree Notes…

One of two Group 1 winners for his Darley Japan sire along with fellow Takamatsunomiya Kinen hero Seiun Kosei (Jpn), Fine Needle is one of 13 overall black-type winners for Admire Moon. Italian and French group winner Needlecraft's 4-year-old Core Needle (Jpn) (Storming Home) has yet to win, while Lacemaker (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), her 2-year-old filly, died. However, the daughter of Irish black-type winner and G1 Phoenix S. runner-up Sharp Point (Ire) (Royal Academy) does have a yearling full-sister to the winner to come. Needlecraft is also a half-sister to four-time group winner Fractional (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) and, under the fourth dam, is G1 English and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Tirol (Ire) (Thatching {Ire}). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
SPRINTERS STAKES-G1, ¥214,800,000 (US$1,889,146/£1,449,930/€1,627,242), Nakayama, 9-30, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.30, gd.
1–FINE NEEDLE (JPN), 126, h, 5, Admire Moon (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Needlecraft (Ire) (GSP-Ger, GSW-Ity & Fr,
                                145,211), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Sharp Point (Ire), by Royal Academy
                3rd Dam: Nice Point (GBb) by Sharpen Up (GB)
O-Godolphin; B-Darley Japan Farm (Jpn); T-Yoshitada
Takahashi; J-Yuga Kawada; ¥113,360,000. Lifetime Record:
27-10-2-2. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Love Kampf (Jpn), 117, f, 3, Shonan Kampf (Jpn)–Love Heart
(Jpn), by Meiner Love. O-Yoichi Masuda; B-Hiroshi Okuyama
(Jpn); ¥44,960,000.
3–Rhein Spirit (Jpn), 126, h, 7, Swept Overboard–Ribbon
Stripe (Jpn), by Tony Bin (Ire). O-Shigemasa Osawa; B-Fujiwara
Bokujo (Jpn); ¥28,480,000.
Margins: NK, HF, NK. Odds: 1.80, 30.70, 62.70.
Also Ran: Daimei Princess (Jpn), Let's Go Donki (Jpn), Once in a Moon (Jpn), Nac Venus (Jpn), Campbell Junior (Aus), Hiruno Devaro (Jpn), Red Falx (Jpn), Teehaff (Jpn), Seiun Kosei (Jpn),  Moonquake (Jpn), Ares Barows (Jpn), Snow Dragon (Jpn).
DNF: Lucky Bubbles (Aus).
Click for the Racing Post chart. JRA Video.