Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a full-brother to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr), has been given a rating of 123 by Timeform. Third in Saturday's G1 Irish Champion Stakes, the Yoshito Yahagi runner was formerly rated 114.
The race report by the publication read, “Shin Emperor, placed in the Japanese Derby when last seen in May, ran really well on his first start in Europe, finishing one place better than his full-brother, Sottsass, had in this race in 2022, and it would be no surprise on this evidence were he to go on and emulate that one by going on to win the Arc, with the step back up to 1m4f sure to suit.”
The chestnut, who races for Susumu Fujita and was third in the G1 Japanese Derby in May, is rated three pounds higher than Sunday's G2 Prix Niel victor Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and is rated the equal of Group 1 winner Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who was second to City Of Troy (Justify) in the G1 Eclipse Stakes and went on to take the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin. Also in action on the weekend was new G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}), a winner of the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes, has been given a master rating of 121, but will receive three pounds from males in the Arc.
No horse trained in Japan has ever won the Arc, but there have been a fearsome trio who have taken second: El Condor Pasa (Kingmambo) (1999), Nakayama Festa (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) (2010) and Orfevre (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) in 2012 and 2013.
Timeform's provisional Arc ratings, adjusted for the expected weight to be carried, are as follows:
- 133: Bluestocking
- 132: Al Riffa
- 132: Shin Emperor
- 131p: Look de Vega (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire})
- 131: Aventure (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire})
- 131: Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB})
- 129: Sosie
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